HERBERT 


HUMPHREY  BOLD 


"OF  CHiT?.   LIBRARY,    LOS  MGBLES 


BY  HERBERT  STRANG 


ON  THE  SPANISH  MAIN 
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KING  OF  THE  AIR 
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ROB  THE  RANGER 

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IN  CLIVE'S  COMMAND 
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THE  BOBBS-MERRILL  COMPANY 
INDIANAPOLIS 


"  I  deinaiul  to  be  set  fivr  !"      Page 


HUMPHREY  BOLD 


A  STORT  OF  THE  TIME  OF  BEN  BOW 


BY 

HERBERT  STRANG 


WITH  ILLUSTRATIONS  BY 

W.  H.  MARGETSON 


INDIANAPOLIS 

THE  BOBBS-MERRILL  COMPANY 

PUBLISHERS 


COPYRIGHT  1908 
THE  BOBBS-MERRILL  COMPANY 


OCTOBER 

PUBLISHED  1909 
SEPTEMBER 


PRESS  OF 

BRAUNWORTH  &  CO. 

BOOKBINDERS  AND  PRINTERS 

BROOKLYN,  N.  Y. 


CONTENTS 

CHAPTER  FAG* 

I  THE  WYLE  COP i  i 

II  JOE  BREAKS  His  INDENTURES        ....  13 

III  I  MEET  THE  MOHOCKS 23 

IV  CAPTAIN  JOHN  BENBOW 35 

V  I  LOSE  MY  BEST  FRIEND 43 

VI  I  TAKE  ARTICLES 50 

VII  A  CROWN-PIECE 59 

VIII  I  FALL  AMONG  THIEVES 70 

IX  GOOD  SAMARITANS 81 

X  THE  SHUTTERED  COACH         .....  91 

XI  I  HOLD  A  TURNPIKE 102 

XII  ICOMETOBRISTOWE — AND  LEAVE  UNWILLINGLY  III 

XIII  DUGUAY-TROUIN 123 

XIV  HARMONY  AND  SOME  DISCORD       ....  138 
XV  THE  BASS  VIOL 150 

XVI  ACROSS  THE  MOAT 162 

XVII  EXCHANGES 176 

XVIII  IN  THE  NAME  OF  KING  LEWIS        .       .       .       .191 

XIX  I  FIGHT  DUGUAY-TROUIN 203 

XX  THE  KING'S  COMMISSION 212 

XXI  I  MEET  DICK  CLUDDE 228 

XXII  I  WALK  INTO  A  SNARE 238 

XXIII  UNCLE  MOSES 250 

XXIV  I  MAKE  A  BID  FOR  LIBERTY          ....  263 
XXV  I  SPEND  CLUDDE'S  CROWN-PIECE          .       .       .277 

XXVI  WE  HOLD  A  COUNCIL  OF  WAR       .       .       .       .285 


2132857 


CONTENTS — Continued 

XXVII  SOME  SUCCESSES  AND  A  REBUFF    .       .       .       .295 

XXVIII  I  Cur  THE  ENEMY'S  CABLES 307 

XXIX  WE  BOMBARD  THE  BRIG        .....    319 

XXX  THE  Six  DAYS'  BATTLE 33i 


XXXI    THE  COCKPIT 


350 


XXXII    I  BECOME  BOLD 370 


HUMPHREY  BOLD 


HUMPHREY  BOLD 


THE  WYLE  COP 

'Tis  said  that  as  a  man  declines  towards  old  age  his 
mind  dwells  ever  more  and  more  on  the  events  of  his 
childhood.  Whether  that  be  true  of  all  men  or  not,  cer- 
tain it  is  that  my  memory  of  things  that  happened  fifty 
years  ago  is  very  clear  and  bright,  and  the  little  incidents 
of  my  boyhood  are  more  to  me,  because  they  touch  me 
more  nearly,  than  such  great  matters  as  the  late  rebellion 
against  His  Majesty  King  George,  whom  God  preserve. 

Especially  does  my  thought  run  back  to  a  day,  fifty-six 
years  ago  this  very  summer,  when  by  mere  chance,  as  it 
would  appear  to  men's  eyes,  my  fortunes  became  linked 
with  those  of  Joe  Punchard,  who  is  now  at  this  moment, 
I  warrant,  smoking  his  pipe  in  the  lodge  at  my  park 
gates.  I  was  eleven  years  old,  a  thin  slip  of  a  boy,  small 
for  my  age,  and  giving  no  promise,  to  be  sure,  of  my 
present  stature  and  girth.  The  neighbors  shook  their 
heads  sometimes  as  they  looked  at  me,  and  wondered  why 
Mr.  John  Ellery,  if  he  must  adopt  a  boy — a  strange  thing, 
they  thought,  for  a  bachelor  to  do — did  not  choose  one 
of  a  sturdier  make  than  poor  little  Humphrey  Bold. 
They  even  joked  about  my  name,  averring  that  names 
assuredly  must  go  by  contraries,  for  I  was  Bold  by  name, 
and  timid  by  nature.  The  joke  seemed  to  me,  even  then, 

I 


2  HUMPHREY   BOLD 

a  very  poor  one,  for  a  boy  must  have  the  name  he  is 
born  with,  and  I  have  known  very  delicate  and  white- 
handed  folk  of  the  name  of  Smith. 

Mr.  Ellery,  a  bachelor,  as  I  have  said,  adopted  me 
when  my  own  father  and  mother  died,  which  happened 
when  I  was  still  an  infant,  and,  mercifully,  too  young  to 
understand  my  loss.  My  father,  as  I  called  him,  was  a 
substantial  yeoman  whose  farm  and  holding  lay  some 
three  miles  on  the  English  side  of  Shrewsbury.  He  was 
well  on  in  years  when  he  adopted  me,  and  dwells  in  my 
memory  as  a  strong,  silent  man  who,  when  his  day's  work 
was  done,  would  sit  in  the  ingle-nook  with  a  book  upon 
his  knees.  This  taste  for  reading  marked  him  out  from 
the  neighboring  farmers,  with  whom,  indeed,  he  had 
little  in  common  in  any  way,  so  that  he  was  rather  re- 
spected than  liked  by  them.  But  he  was  wonderfully  kind 
to  me,  and  if  my  love  for  him  was  qualified  with  awe,  it 
was  from  reverence,  and  not  from  fear. 

My  frail  appearance,  on  which  the  neighbors  jested, 
caused  my  father  to  look  on  me  sometimes  with  an  anx- 
ious eye,  and  he  would  question  the  housekeeper  and  the 
maids  about  my  appetite,  and  whether  I  slept  well  o' 
nights.  On  these  matters  he  need  not  have  had  any  con- 
cern, since  I  ate  four  hearty  meals  a  day,  with  perhaps  an 
apple  or  a  hunk  of  bread  in  between ;  while  as  for  sleep- 
ing, Mistress  Pennyquick  was  wont  to  declare,  five  out  of 
the  seven  mornings  in  the  week,  when  she  woke  me,  that 
she  knew  I  would  sleep  my  brains  away.  This  prediction 
scarcely  troubled  me,  and  since  the  motherly  creature 
never  disturbed  me  until  I  had  slept  a  good  nine  hours  by 
the  clock,  I  do  not  think  she  was  really  distressed  on  this 
score. 

Until  I  reached  my  eleventh  birthday  I  did  not  go  to 
school,  being  taught  to  read  and  write  and  cipher  by  my 


THE   WYLE   COP  3 

father  himself.  But  one  day  he  set  me  before  him  on  his 
horse  and  rode  into  Shrewsbury,  where,  after  a  solemn 
interview  with  Mr.  Lloyd,  the  master,  I  was  put  into  the 
accidence  class  at  King1  Edward's  famous  school.  As  we 
rode  back,  I  remember  that  my  father,  who  was  generally 
so  silent,  talked  to  me  more  than  ever  before,  about 
school,  and  work,  and  the  great  men  who  had  been  in 
past  time  pupils  in  the  same  school,  notably  Sir  Phillip 
Sidney.  And  from  that  day  I  used  to  trudge  every  morn- 
ing, barring  holidays,  into  the  town,  and  say  my  hie,  hac, 
hoc  as  well,  I  verily  believe,  as  the  rest  of  my  school- 
fellows. 

But  with  the  opening  of  my  school-days  I  began  to 
know  what  misery  was.  My  lessons  gave  me  little  trouble, 
and  the  masters  were  kind  enough ;  but  among  the  boys 
there  were  two  who,  before  long,  kept  me  in  a  constant 
state  of  terror.  They  were  older  than  I  by  some  four  or 
five  years,  and  in  school  I  never  saw  them;  but  outside 
they  used  to  waylay  me,  tormenting  me  in  many  ingenious 
ways.  Looking  back  now  I  see  that  much  of  my  terror 
was  needless.  They  seldom  ill-treated  me  in  act;  but 
knowing,  I  suppose,  that  the  imagination  is  often  very 
apprehensive  in  weakly  bodies  like  mine,  they  took  a  de- 
light in  threatening  me,  conjuring  up  all  manner  of 
imaginary  horrors,  and  so  working  on  me  that  my  sleep 
was  disturbed  by  hideous  nightmares.  I  told  nobody  of 
what  I  suffered,  and  when  Mistress  Pennyquick  noticed 
that  I  was  pale  and  heavy-eyed  sometimes  in  the  morning, 
she  did  but  suppose  it  was  due  to  a  closer  application  to 
books  than  I  had  known  formerly,  and  forthwith  in- 
creased my  daily  allowance  of  milk. 

My  father,  if  he  had  known  of  these  doings,  would 
doubtless  have  taken  strong  measures  to  put  a  stop  to 
them,  for  the  older,  though  not  the  worse,  of  the  two 


4  HUMPHREY,   BOLD 

bullies  was  a  nephew  of  his  own.  His  sister  was  married 
to  Sir  Richard  Cludde,  of  a  notable  family  whose  seat  lay 
north  of  Shrewsbury,  towards  Wem,  and  it  was  his  only 
son,  named  Richard  after  his  father,  who  made  one  of 
this  precious  couple  of  harriers.  There  was  little  coming 
and  going  between  the  houses  of  the  two  families,  for 
Mr.  Ellery  had  not  approved  his  sister's  match,  Sir  Rich- 
ard's character  being  not  of  the  best,  and  heartily  disliked 
the  fine-lady  airs  which  she  put  on  when  she  became  wife 
of  a  baronet ;  while  she  on  her  side  resented  her  brother's 
cold  looks,  and  nourished  a  special  grievance  against  him 
when  he  adopted  me  and  announced  that  he  would  name 
me  his  heir.  I  make  no  doubt  that  she  gave  tongue  to  her 
feeling  in  the  hearing  of  her  son  Dick,  for  among  the 
many  taunts  which  he  and  his  boon  fellow  Cyrus  Vetch 
cast  at  me  was  that  I  was  what  they  pleased  to  call  a 
"charity  child." 

I  have  mentioned  Cyrus  Vetch.  If  I  feared  Dick 
Cludde,  I  both  feared  and  hated  his  companion.  Cyrus 
was  the  son  of  a  well-to-do  merchant  of  the  town — a 
man  little  in  stature,  but  stout,  and  wondrous  big  in  self- 
esteem.  He  was  the  owner  of  much  property,  already  one 
of  the  twelve  aldermen,  and  ambitious,  folk  said,  to  arrive 
at  the  highest  dignity  a  citizen  of  Shrewsbury  could  at- 
tain and  wear  the  chain  of  mayor  about  his  bulldog  neck. 
'He  doted  on  his  son,  who  certainly  did  not  take  after  his 
father  so  far  as  looks  went,  for  he  was  a  tall,  lanky  fellow, 
with  a  sallow  face,  the  alderman's  countenance  being  as 
red  as  raw  beef.  Hating  Cyrus  as  I  did,  and  not  without 
cause,  as  will  be  seen  hereafter,  I  may  be  a  trifle  unjust 
in  my  recollection  of  him;  but  I  seem  to  see  again  a 
weasel  face,  with  a  pair  of  little  restless  cunning  eyes, 
and  lips  that  were  shaped  to  a  perpetual  sneer.  As  to  the 
sharpness  of  his  tongue  I  know  my  memory  does  not 


THE   WYLE   COP  5 

play  me  false:  Dick  Cludde's  taunts  bruised,  but  Cyrus 
Vetch's  stung. 

I  had  been  less  than  a  year  at  the  school  when  an  event 
happened  which  had  a  great  bearing  on  my  future  life. 
It  was  in  the  autumn  of  the  year  1690.  I  left  afternoon 
school,  and  walked  up  Castle  Street,  intending  to  turn 
down  by  St.  Mary's  Church  as  I  was  wont  to  do,  and 
make  my  way  by  Dogpole  and  Wyle  Cop  to  English 
Bridge  and  so  home.  But  just  as  I  came  to  the  corner  I 
spied  Cludde  and  Vetch  waiting  for  me,  as  they  some- 
times did,  at  the  back  end  of  the  church.  To  avoid  them, 
I  went  on  till  I  came  to  the  corner  of  Dogpole  and  Pride 
Hill,  hoping  thereby  to  escape.  But  Cyrus  Vetch's  keen 
eyes  had  seen  me,  and  when  I  came  to  the  turning  by 
Colam's,  the  vintner's,  there  were  my  two  tormentors, 
posted  right  in  my  path. 

"Aha,  young  Bold !"  says  Cyrus,  clutching  me  roughly 
by  the  arm,  "so  you  thought  to  give  us  the  slip,  did 


you 


I  could  not  deny  it,  and  said  nothing. 

"Hark  'ee,  young  Bold,"  Cyrus  went  on,  "you're  to 
bring  us  to-morrow  morning  a  good  dozen  of  old  Ellery's 
apples,  d'you  hear?" 

"A  good  dozen,  young  Bold,"  says  Cludde,  with  the 
precision  of  an  echo. 

"Let  me  go,  please,  Vetch,"  I  said,  endeavoring  to 
wrench  my  arm  away. 

"Not  so  fast,  bun  face,"  says  He,  giving  my  arm  a  twist. 
"You'd  best  promise,  or  it  will  be  the  worse  for  you.  Now 
say  after  me,  'I,  Humphrey  Bold,  adopted  brat  of  John 
Ellery' —  Speak  up  now !" 

"Please  let  me  go,  Vetch,"  said  I,  wriggling  in  his 
grasp. 

"You  won't,  eh?    You're  an  obstinate  pig,  eh?    You 


6  HUMPHREY,  BOLD 

defy  us,  eh?"  and  with  every  question  the  bully  twisted 
my  arm  till  I  almost  screamed  with  the  pain. 

"Don't  be  a  ninny,"  says  Cludde.  "What's  a  few 
apples !  Why,  old  Ellery's  trees  are  loaded  with  'em." 

Vetch's  grip  somewhat  relaxed  while  Qudde  was 
speaking,  and,  seizing  the  opportunity,  I  wrenched  my 
arm  away  with  a  sudden  movement  and  took  to  my  heels. 
Being  thin  and  light  of  foot,  I  was  a  fleet  runner,  and 
though  they  immediately  set  off  in  pursuit,  I  gained  on 
them  for  a  few  yards,  and  had  some  hope  of  distancing 
them  altogether.  But  just  as  I  came  to  where  Dogpole 
runs  into  Wyle  Cop,  a  stitch  in  the  side,  which  often  seized 
me  at  inconvenient  times,  forced  me  to  slacken  speed. 
Seeing  this,  they  quickened  their  pace,  and  in  a  few  mo- 
ments they  would  have  had  me  at  their  mercy. 

But  in  that  predicament  I  heard  Joe  Punchard  whis- 
tling, through  the  open  door  of  the  shop  where  he  did 
'prentice  work  for  old  Matthew  Mark,  the  cooper.  I 
knew  Joe  well ;  he  had  often  brought  barrels  to  our  farm, 
and  once  or  twice  on  my  way  home  from  school  I  had 
gone  into  the  shop  and  watched  him  at  his  work.  Now,  as 
a  fox  when  the  hounds  are  in  full  cry  behind  him  will  run 
for  shelter  into  any  likely  place  that  offers,  so  I,  hard 
pressed  as  I  was,  rushed  panting  into  the  shop,  too 
breathless  at  first  to  explain  my  need. 

"Hallo!  What's  this !"  cried  Joe,  who  was  just  rolling 
down  his  sleeves  before  closing  work  for  the  day.  "What 
be  the  matter,  Master  Bold  ?  You  be  all  of  a  sweat  and 
puffing  like  to  burst." 

"They're  after  me !    Keep  'em  off,  Joe !"  I  gasped. 

"After  you,  be  they !  Some  of  your  school-mates  wor- 
riting of  you,  eh?  Don't  be  afeared,  lad.  I  be  just  going 
home,  and  I'll  see  you  safe  to  Bridge.  Ah !  there  they 


THE  WYLE   COP  7 

be,"  he  added,  as  my  pursuers  appeared  in  the  doorway. 
"Good  afternoon  to  you,  and  what  might  you  be  pleased 
to  want?" 

"Out  of  the  road,  Joe  Punchard !"  cries  Cludde,  walk- 
ing into  the  shop.  "I'll  teach  that  little  beast  to  run 
away." 

And  he  came  forward  to  where  I  stood,  sheltering  my- 
self behind  Joe's  thick-set  body. 

"Bide  a  minute,"  says  Joe,  lurching  so  as  to  shield  me. 
"What  ha'  Master  Bold  bin  doin'  to  you  ?" 

"What's  that  to  you  ?"  says  Cyrus  Vetch,  edging  round 
him  on  the  other  side.  "He's  a  young  sneak,  that's  what 
he  is,  and  wants  a  good  basting,  and  he'll  get  it,  too." 

"Not  so  fast  now,"  says  Joe,  sticking  out  his  elbows  to 
broaden  himself.  "I  know  you,  Master  Vetch,  and  'tis  my 
belief  you  and  Master  Cludde  are  just  nought  but  a  brace 
of  bullies,  and  you  ought  to  be  ashamed  of  yourselves, 
Master  Cludde  in  particular,  seeing  as  the  little  lad  be 
your  own  cousin." 

"You  shut  your  moutK,  Joe  Punchard !"  shouts  Cludde 
in  a  passion.  "He  my  cousin,  indeed! — the  mean  little 
charity  brat !" 

"And  a  blubbering  baby,  too !"  says  Vetch,  "cries  before 
he  is  hurt." 

"  Tis  not  much  good  crying  after,"  says  Joe  with  a 
chuckle,  before  I  could  protest  that  I  was  not  crying;  I 
always  did  hate  a  blubbering  boy.  "Now  you  two  boys  be 
off,"  Joe  went  on.  "I'm  going  home,  and  I'll  see  to  it  you 
don't  bait  Master  Bold  no  more  this  side  of  the  Bridge. 
And  what's  more,  I  tell  you  this :  that  if  I  cotch  you  two 
great  chaps  worriting  the  boy  again,  I'll  take  and  leather 
you,  both  of  you,  and  that's  flat." 

"Try  it,  bandy-legs,"  said  Vetch  with  a  sneer.    "We'll 


8  HUMPHREY   BOLD 

do  as  we  please,  and  if  you  dare  to  lay  a  hand  on  either  of 
us,  I'll— I'll— " 

"What'll  you  do,  then?"  says  Joe,  who  all  this  while 
had  been  spreading  himself  in  front  of  me.  "What'll  you 
do  then?  D'you  think  I  care  a  farden  what  you'll  do? 
You'd  better  behave  pretty,  Master  Vetch,  or  'twill  be 
worse  for  you,  my  young  cockchafer." 

At  this  the  two  boys  backed  a  little,  and  Joe,  thinking 
them  daunted  by  his  threatening  mien,  turned  to  take 
down  the  key  of  the  shop  from  its  nail  on  the  wall.  But 
he  had  no  sooner  left  my  side  than  Vetch  sprang  forward, 
and  catching  me  by  the  arm,  gave  it  a  cunning  twist  that, 
in  spite  of  myself,  made  me  shriek  with  pain.  Joe  was 
round  in  an  instant,  and  made  for  my  tormentor,  who  with 
Cludde  ran  towards  the  door.  But  in  their  endeavor  to 
escape  they  impeded  each  other:  Vetch  tripped,  and  be- 
fore he  could  recover  his  footing  Joe  had  him  in  an  iron 
grip,  and  began  to  shake  him  as  I  had  many  times  seen 
our  terrier  shake  a  rat  he  had  caught  in  the  barn. 

"Let  me  go!"  yells  Cyrus.  "Help,  Dick!  Kick  his 
shins!" 

But  Cludde,  though  a  big  fellow  enough,  was  never 
over-ready  to  put  his  head  in  chancery.  He  stood  in  the 
street,  shaking  his  fist,  and  writhing  his  face  into  terrible 
grimaces  at  me. 

"Let  me  go  I"  cries  Vetch  again. 

"You  young  viper!"  says  Joe,  shaking  him  still. 
"You'll  misuse  the  little  lad  before  my  face,  will  you? 
And  squeal  like  a  pig  to  be  let  go,  will  you  ?  Aha !  You 
shall  go,"  he  says  with  a  sudden  laugh.  "Dash  me  if 
'twere  not  made  o'  purpose." 

Joe  Punchard,  I  have  forgotten  to  mention,  was  short  of 
stature,  standing  no  more  than  five  feet  three.  But  he 
was  very  thick-set  and  heavily  made,  with  massive  arms 


Joe  set  the  barrel  rolling.      Page  9 


THE   WYLE   COP  9 

and  legs,  the  latter  somewhat  bowed,  making  him  appear 
even  shorter  than  he  was.  It  was  these  legs  of  his,  to- 
gether with  his  big  round  head  and  shock  of  reddish  hair, 
that  inspired  some  genius  of  the  school  with  a  couplet 
which  was  often  chanted  by  the  boys  when  they  caught 
sight  of  Joe  in  the  street.  It  ran — 

*0,  $,  TO,  bandy-legged  Joe, 
Turnip  and  carrots  wherever  you  go. 

But  bandy-legged  as  he  was,  Joe  had  the  great  strength 
which  I  have  often  observed  to  accompany  that  defect  of 
nature.  So  it  was  with  exceeding  ease  he  lifted  Cyrus 
Vetch,  for  all  his  struggles,  with  one  hand,  and  dropped 
him  into  a  barrel  that  stood,  newly  finished,  against  the 
wall — a  barrel  of  such  noble  height  that  Vetch  quite  dis- 
appeared within  it.  Then,  trundling  it  upon  its  edge,  as 
draymen  do  with  casks  of  beer,  he  brought  it  to  the  street, 
laid  it  sidelong,  and  set  it  rolling. 

Now  the  Wyle  Cop  at  Shrewsbury,  as  you  may  know, 
is  a  street  that  winds  steeply  down  to  the  English  Bridge 
over  the  Severn.  Had  it  been  straight,  the  bias  of  the 
barrel  would  doubtless  have  soon  carried  it  to  the  side, 
and  Joe  Punchard  might  have  risen  in  course  of  time  to 
the  status  of  a  master  cooper  in  his  native  town.  But 
when  I  went  to  the  door  to  see  what  was  happening,  there 
was  the  barrel  in  full  career,  following  the  curve  of  the 
street,  and  gathering  speed  with  every  yard.  Joe  stood 
with  arms  akimbo,  smiling  broadly.  Cludde  was  racing 
after  the  barrel,  shouting  for  some  one  to  stop  it.  If  I 
had  not  already  been  in  such  mortal  terror  of  the  conse- 
quences of  Joe's  mad  freak,  I  should  have  laughed  to  see 
the  wayfarers  as  they  skipped  out  of  the  course  of  the 
runagate,  not  one  of  them  aware  as  yet  that  it  held  human 


io  HUMPHREY    BOLD 

contents,  nor  guessing  that  the  end  might  be  more  than 
broken  staves. 

By  this  time  Joe  himself  had  come  to  a  sense  of  his 
recklessness.  He  gripped  me  by  the  hand,  and  dragged 
me  down  the  hill  at  so  fierce  a  pace  that  in  half  a  minute 
all  the  breath  was  out  of  my  body.  I  wondered  what  he 
purposed  doing,  for  the  barrel  was  now  out  of  sight  past 
the  bend,  and  could  scarce  have  been  overtaken  by  the 
wearer  of  the  seven  league  boots.  But  as  we  turned  into 
the  straight  again,  just  by  Andrew  Cruddle,  the  saddler's, 
we  again  espied  the  terrible  barrel,  rolling  with  many 
bumps  towards  the  head  of  the  bridge. 

And  then  I  verily  believe  that  my  heart  for  some  sec- 
onds ceased  to  beat,  and  I  am  sure  that  Joe  shared  my 
dismay,  for  he  tightened  the  grip  of  his  great  strong 
hand  upon  my  puny  one  until  I  could  have  sworn  it  was 
crushed  to  a  pulp.  At  the  bridge  head  were  two  gentle- 
men, who  had  to  all  appearance  been  engaged  in  chatting, 
for  one  still  sat  on  the  parapet,  while  the  other  stood 
within  a  foot  or  two  of  him.  They  were  not  talking  now, 
but  gazing  at  the  barrel  rolling  down  towards  them,  and 
the  one  who  was  seated  wore  the  trace  of  a  smile  upon 
his  face.  But  the  other — Heaven  knows  what  terror 
seized  me  when  my  eyes  lighted  upon  him:  it  was  none 
other  than  Joshua  Vetch,  the  father  of  the  boy  who,  as  I 
jfeared,  was  being  churned  to  a  jelly;  and  he  stood  full  in 
the  path  of  the  barrel. 

Mr.  Vetch,  as  I  have  said,  was  a  small  but  corpulent 
man,  and  stood  very  upright,  with  a  slight  backward  in- 
clination, to  balance,  I  suppose,  the  exceeding  greatness 
of  his  rotundity.  His  countenance  habitually  expressed 
disapproval,  and  his  shaggy  brows  were  drawn  down  now 
in  an  angry  frown.  I  perceived  that  he  said  something  to 
his  companion,  and  then  I  saw  no  more  for  a  while,  a  mist 


THE   WYLE   COE  n 

seeming  to  gather  before  my  eyes.  When  I  regained 
possession  of  my  faculties,  dreading  what  might  have 
happened,  I  found  myself  on  the  skirts  of  a  group  of  five 
or  six,  and  heard  the  loud  voice  of  Mr.  Vetch  bellowing 
forth  words  which,  for  modesty's  sake,  I  forbid  my  pen 
to  write.  He  was  not  dead,  then,  I  thought,  nor  even 
hurt,  or  assuredly  he  would  not  have  had  the  strength  to 
curse  with  such  vigor.  But  what  of  Cyrus  ? 

"I'll  have  the  law  on  the  villain !  Run  for  a  potticary ! 
D'you  hear,  you  gaping  jackass?  Run  for  Mr.  Pinhorn 
and  bid  him  come  here !"  And  then  followed  a  string  of 
oaths  like  to  those  I  had  heard  before.  The  group  parted 
hastily,  and  out  came  Dick  Cludde,  with'  a  face  as  white  as 
milk,  and  sped  up  the  town  as  fast  as  his  long  legs  would 
carry  him.  No  doubt  he  was  the  "gaping  jackass"  whom 
Mr.  Vetch  had  so  addressed  in  his  fury.  Pushing  my 
way  through  the  townsmen  who  had  gathered,  and  whose 
numbers  were  swelled  every  moment  by  the  afflux  of 
aproned  grocers,  and  potboys,  and  'prentices,  and  others 
from  the  streets,  I  saw  Cyrus  laid  on  his  back  by  the 
parapet,  white  and  still,  his  father  pacing  heavily  up  and 
down,  and  his  friend  Captain  Galsworthy  fending  off  the 
prying  onlookers  with  his  cane. 

"I'll  thrash  the  villain  to  a  pulp!  I'll  send  him  to  the 
plantations,  I  will !  I'll  break  every  bone  in  his  body !" 

So  Mr.  Vetch  roared,  and,  much  as  I  disliked  him,  I 
could  not  but  feel  a  certain  compassion  too,  for  all  the 
world  knew  how  he  doted  on  his  son.  I  looked  around 
for  Joe  Punchard,  to  see  whether  he  was  in  hearing  of 
these  threats,  but  he  was  not  among  the  crowd. 

By  and  by  came  Mr.  Pinhorn,  the  surgeon,  and  some 
while  after  him  four  lads  bearing  a  stretcher,  upon  which 
the  unconscious  form  of  my  enemy  was  conveyed  slowly 
up  the  town  to  Mr.  Vetch's  house  on  Pride  Hill.  I  fol- 


12  HUMPHREY    BOLD 

lowed  on  the  edge  of  the  crowd  until  I  saw  the  doors 
close  upon  the  bearers,  and  then  I  betook  myself  home,  in 
sore  distress  at  the  fate  in  store  for  my  friend  Joe  Punch- 
ard,  and  in  some  terror  lest  I  should  share  it,  the  mad 
freak  of  which  he  was  guilty  having  been  performed  on 
my  behalf. 


CHIAPTER   II 

JOE  BREAKS   HIS  INDENTURES 

It  was  so  much  later  than  my  usual  hour  for  returning 
from  school  that  I  was  not  surprised  to  see  Mistress 
Pennyquick  at  the  gate  of  our  farm,  shading  her  eyes 
against  the  westering  sun  as  she  looked  for  me  up  the 
road.  I  endeavored  to  compose  my  countenance  so  as  to 
betray  no  sign  of  the  excitement  through  which  I  had 
passed ;  but  the  attempt  failed  lamentably,  and  when  the 
good  creature  began  to  question  me,  I  burst  into  tears. 
This  was  so  rare  an  occurrence  with  me  that  she  was 
mightily  concerned  and  adjured  me  to  tell  all,  promising 
that  if  I  had  done  wrong  she  would  shield  me  from  my 
father's  anger.  And  when  in  answer  to  this  I  told  her 
what  Joe  Punchard  had  done  to  Cyrus  Vetch,  and  the 
terrible  things  I  had  heard  the  alderman  threaten  against 
him,  she  laughed  and  said  I  was  too  tender-hearted  for  a 
boy,  and  Joe  Punchard  would  be  none  the  worse  for  a 
basting,  and  a  deal  more  to  the  same  tune,  which  almost 
broke  through  my  determination  to  say  nothing  of  what 
had  caused  the  mischief;  for,  after  all,  Dick  Cludde  and 
Cyrus  Vetch  were  my  school-fellows,  and,  in  my  day,  for 
one  boy  to  tell  on  another  was  the  unpardonable  sin. 

My  father  came  in  soon  after,  and  when  he  heard  so 
much  of  the  story  as  I  had  told  Mistress  Pennyquick  he 
drew  his  fingers  through  his  beard  and  said  in  his  quiet 
"To  be  sure,  barrels  were  not  made  for  that  kind 
13 


:i4  HUMPHREY   BOLD 

of  vetch!"  And  then  we  sat  down  to  supper.  We  had 
hardly  begun  when  there  came  a  smart  rap  on  the  door, 
and,  with  the  freedom  of  our  country  manners,  in  walked 
a  visitor.  My  heart  gave  a  jump  when  I  saw  it  was  none 
other  than  Captain  Galsworthy,  the  gentleman  with  whom 
Mr.  Vetch  had  been  in  converse  at  the  bridge.  We  knew 
the  captain  well;  he  was,  in  a  way,  one  of  the  notable 
persons  of  our  town.  We  boys  looked  on  him  with  a  vast 
admiration  and  reverence,  not  so  much  for  his  title — for 
there  are  captains  and  captains,  and  I  have  known  some 
who  have  done  little  in  the  matter  of  feats  of  arms — as 
because  he  bore  on  his  lean  and  rugged  countenance 
marks  which  no  one  could  mistake.  A  deep  scar  seamed 
his  right  temple,  and  on  one  of  his  cheeks  were  several 
little  black  pits  which  we  believed  to  be  the  marks  of 
bullets.  He  spoke  but  rarely  of  his  own  doings,  and  until 
he  came  to  Shrewsbury  a  few  years  before  this  he  had 
been  a  stranger  to  the  town:  but  it  was  commonly  re- 
ported that  he  had  been  in  the  service  of  the  Czar  of 
Muscovy,  and  since  that  potentate  was  ever  unwilling  that 
any  officer  who  had  once  served  him  should  leave  him 
(save  by  death  or  hanging),  it  was  supposed  that  the 
captain  had  made  his  escape.  He  lived  alone  in  a  little 
cottage  on  the  Wem  road,  and,  not  being  too  plentifully 
endowed  with  this  world's  goods,  he  eked  out  his  com- 
petency by  giving  lessons  in  fencing,  both  with  single- 
sticks and  swords. 

Well,  in  comes  the  captain,  cocking  a  twinkling  eye  at 
me,  lays  on  the  table  the  cane  without  which  he  never 
went  abroad,  and,  placing  a  chair  for  himself  at  the  table, 
says: 

"  "Tis  to  be  hoped  we  are  not  in  for  a  ten  years'  Trojan 
war,  Master  Humphrey." 

Though  I  understood  nothing  of  his  meaning,  I  knew 


JOE   BREAKS   HIS   INDENTURES          15 

he  made  reference  to  the  recent  escapade,  and  I  felt 
mightily  uncomfortable.  My  father  looked  from  one  to 
the  other,  but  did  not  break  his  silence. 

"They  haven't  put  you  to  the  Iliads  yet,  I  suppose," 
says  the  captain,  helping  himself  to  a  mug  of  our  home- 
brewed cider,  "but  you  know,  neighbor  Ellery,  'twas  an 
apple  that  set  the  Greeks  and  Trojans  by  the  ears,  and  'tis 
apples,  or  rather  the  want  of  'em,  that  is  like  to  put  dis- 
cord between  some  of  our  families  hereabout." 

"You  speak  in  riddles,  Captain,"  says  my  father  at  last ; 
"and  why  are  you  eying  Humphrey  in  that  quizzical 
way?" 

"Why,  bless  my  soul,  don't  you  know?  I  thought  it 
had  been  half  over  the  county  by  this." 

"I  know  that  that  'prentice  lad  Punchard  hath  half- 
killed  young  Vetch,  and  richly  deserves  what  he  will  no 
doubt  get  to-morrow." 

"And  is  that  all  ?  Have  you  told  only  half  your  story, 
Humphrey  ?" 

This  direct  question  made  me  still  more  uncomfortable, 
especially  as  my  father's  eyes  were  sternly  bent  upon  me. 
He  hated  lies,  and  half-truths  still  more,  and  I  could  see 
that  he  was  dimly  suspecting  me  of  a  complicity  in  Joe 
Punchard's  action  to  which  I  had  not  confessed.  But 
Captain  Galsworthy  was  a  shrewd  old  man,  and  he  saw 
at  once  how  the  matter  stood. 

"No  peaching,  eh,  lad?"  he  said  kindly.  "I've  an  in- 
quisitive turn  of  mind,  and  after  that  performance  with 
the  barrel — and  it  was  a  monstrous  comical  sight,  Ellery, 
to  see  the  little  alderman  skip  out  of  the  way  when  the 
barrel  made  straight  for  his  shins,  but  not  so  funny  when 
he  pulls  at  the  shock  head  sticking  out  and  finds  it  belongs 
to  his  own  son — after  that  performance,  I  say,  I  caught 
young  Dick  Cludde  by  the  ear,  and  made  him  tell  me  the 


i6  HUMPHREY,  BOLE) 

story.  And  it  begins  with  apples — like  this  excellent 
cider  of  yours,  Ellery." 

He  quaffed  a  deep  draught  and  leaned  back  in  his  chair, 
giving  me  another  friendly  wink.  The  captain  was  ever 
somewhat  long-winded  over  his  stories,  and  I  could  see 
that  my  father  was  growing  impatient ;  but  he  sat  back  in 
his  chair  with  his  hands  upon  the  arms  and  said  never  a 
word. 

"Young  Cludde  and  Cyrus  Vetch,  it  seems,  have  a 
sweet  tooth  for  your  apples,  Ellery,"  said  the  captain, 
"and  Cludde  told  me  with  a  fine  indignation  that  Hum- 
phrey flatly  refused  to  fill  his  pockets  for  their  behoof. 
They  were  proceeding  to  enforce  their  requisition,  I 
gather,  when  the  boy  broke  from  them,  and,  finding  him- 
self hard  pressed  by  and  by,  took  refuge  behind  Joe 
Punchard's  bandy  legs.  And  Joe  must  needs  take  up  the 
cudgels  on  behalf  of  the  oppressed,  and  chose  an  original 
way  of  punishing  the  oppressor.  And  thus  the  rolling  of 
the  barrel  is  explained." 

At  this  Mistress  Pennyquick  broke  out  into  vehement 
denunciation  of  the  two  boys,  but  my  father  silenced  her. 
Quietly  he  began  to  question  me :  he  would  take  no  denial, 
and  drew  out  of  me  bit  by  bit  the  whole  story  of  the  bully- 
ing I  had  suffered  from  those  two  of  my  school-fellows. 
And  then  he  was  more  angry  than  I  had  seen  him  ever 
before.  He  smote  the  arm  of  the  chair  with  his  great  fist, 
and  vowed  he  would  not  have  me  ill-used;  and  though 
he  said  but  little,  and  never  once  raised  his  voice,  I  knew 
by  the  set  of  his  lips  and  the  gleam  of  his  eye  that  it  would 
go  hard  with  any  one  who  baited  me  again.  Then  the 
captain  made  a  proposition  for  which  I  have  been  thank- 
ful all  my  life  long. 

"The  moral  of  it  is,  Ellery,  that  Humphrey  must  be  a 
pupil  of  mine.  Give  me  your  arm,  boy.  Ah !"  says  he, 


JOE   BREAKS   HIS    INDENTURES          17 

feeling  the  muscle,  which  was  soft  enough,  no  doubt, 
seeing  that  I  was  only  eleven  and  had  never  done  any- 
thing about  the  farm.  "We  must  alter  that.  Let  him 
come  to  me  twice  a  week,  Ellery,  and  he  shall  learn  the 
arts  of  self-defense,  first  with  nature's  own  weapons,  for 
boxing  I  take  to  be  the  true  foundation  of  all  bodily  ex- 
ercise, and  afterwards,  when  he  is  a  little  grown,  the  more 
delicate  science  of  swordsmanship,  which  demands  bodily 
strength  and  wits,  and  to  which  the  other  Is  but  a  prelude. 
And  I  warrant  you,  if  he  have  the  right  stuff  in  him,  that 
by  the  time  the  schoolmaster  has  done  with  him  he  shall 
be  able  to  hold  his  own  against  any  man,  and  will  need  no 
succors  from  Joe  Punchard  or  any  one  else." 

Hereupon  Mistress  Pennyquick  set  up  a  cry  about  the 
wickedness  of  teaching  little  boys  to  fight,  and  the  state 
she  would  be  in  if  I  was  some  day  brought  home  mangled 
and  disfigured,  and  a  great  deal  more  to  the  same  effect. 
The  captain  tapped  the  table  until  she  had  finished,  and 
then,  with  a  fine  courtly  bow,  he  said : 

"Spoken  like  a  woman,  ma'am.  Humphrey  will  suffer 
hard  knocks,  to  be  sure ;  yes,  please  God,  he  shall  have 
many  a  black  eye,  and  many  a  bloody  nose,  and  we  shall 
make  a  man  of  him,  ma'am :  a  gentleman  he  is  already." 

"Yes,  to  be  sure,"  says  the  simple  creature,  "and  his 
mother  was  a  born  lady,  and — " 

"Tuts,  ma'am,"  the  captain  here  interrupted.  "I  was 
not  alluding  to  his  pedigree.  The  boy  has  suffered  tor- 
ment for  months  without  breathing  a  word  of  it  to  betray 
his  school-fellows;  from  that  I  deduce  that  he  has  the 
spirit  of  a  gentleman,  and  I  want  no  further  proof." 

"  Tis  time  the  boy  was  abed,"  says  my  father.  "Run 
away,  lad." 

I  got  up  at  once  to  go,  guessing  that  my  father  wished 
to  have  some  private  talk  with  Captain  Galsworthy.  My 


18  HUMPHREY   BOLD 

ears  were  tingling,  I  confess,  with  his  praise  of  me,  and 
my  heart  throbbed  with  delight  and  pride  at  the  thought 
of  being  the  captain's  pupil.  I  could  not  sleep  for  think- 
ing of  it.  I  imagined  all  manner  of  scenes  in  which  I 
should  some  day  figure,  and  saw  myself  already  holding 
off  five  enemies  at  once  with  my  flashing  sword.  These 
visions  haunted  my  dreams  when  at  last  I  slept,  and  it 
was  after  a  bout  of  especial  fierceness  that  I  found  myself 
lying  awake,  in  a  great  heat  and  breathlessness. 

And  then  I  was  aware  of  an  actual  sound — a  sound 
which  no  doubt  had  entered  into  my  dreams  as  the  clash 
of  arms.  It  was  a  soft  and  regular  tapping,  a  ghostly 
sound  to  hear  at  dead  of  night,  and  like  to  scare  a  boy  of 
quick  imagination.  I  lay  for  some  moments  in  a  state 
bordering  on  panic,  unable  to  think,  much  less  to  act. 
Tap,  tap,  tap — so  it  went  on,  like  the  ticking  of  the  great 
clock  on  the  stairs,  only  louder  and  more  substantial.  It 
ceased,  and  I  held  my  breath,  wondering  whether  I  should 
hear  it  again.  Then  it  recommenced,  and  I  was  about  to 
spring  from  my  bed  and  run  to  tell  Mistress  Pennyquick 
when  a  sudden  thought  held  me:  What  would  Captain 
Galsworthy  think  if  he  knew  I  had  fled  from  a  sound? 
Would  he  regard  me  as  the  right  stuff  of  which  to  make 
a  man?  The  captain's  good  opinion  was  worth  so  much 
to  me  now  that  I  crushed  down  my  fears  and  sat  up  in 
bed  (yet  keeping  a  tight  clutch  upon  the  blanket),  and 
tried  to  use  my  reason. 

The  tapping,  I  reflected,  must  be  caused  by  some  per- 
son or  thing.  A  ghost  is  a  spirit,  and  insubstantial,  and 
I  had  never  heard  that  the  ghost  which  some  of  the 
townsfolk  (chiefly  servant  maids)  had  seen  in  St.  Alk- 
mund's  Churchyard  had  done  more  at  any  time  than  glide 
silently  among  the  tombs.  And  even  as  I  decided  that  the 
sound  must  have  a  natural  cause,  I  had  startling  con- 


JOE   BREAKS    HIS    INDENTURES          19 

firmation  of  my  conclusion  in  a  new  sound — nothing  else 
than  a  sneeze,  sudden,  and  short,  and  stifled.  The  tap- 
ping ceased,  and  while  I  was  still  trying  to  collect  my  wits 
I  heard  a  groan,  and  immediately  afterwards  a  voice 
calling  my  name,  and  then  a  new  tapping,  only  quicker. 
It  was  now  clear  to  me  that  some  one  was  at  my  window, 
though,  seeing  that  my  room  was  some  twenty  feet  above 
the  ground,  I  was  at  a  loss  to  imagine  how  the  tapper  had 
mounted  there. 

My  fears  now  being  merged  in  surprise,  I  got  out  of 
bed,  stole  to  the  window,  and  pulled  the  blind  an  inch 
aside. 

"Master  Bold !  Master  Bold !"  came  the  voice  again, 
and,  venturing  a  little  more,  I  put  my  head  between  the 
blind  and  the  window,  and  saw  a  dark  form  against  the 
clear  summer  sky. 

"Master  Bold,  'tis  me,  Joe  Punchard,"  said  the  voice  in 
a  whisper.  "Canst  let  me  in,  lad,  without  making  a 
noise  ?" 

Without  more  ado  I  lifted  the  sash  gradually,  for  it 
was  heavy  and  creaked,  and  I  feared  to  rouse  the  house- 
hold. When  it  was  high  enough  for  Joe's  bulky  form  to 
pass  through  he  clambered  over  the  sill,  and  stood  in  my 
room. 

"How  did  you  get  up,  Joe  ?"  I  asked  in  a  whisper. 

"Got  a  ladder  from  the  rick  yard,  lad.  I  bin  tapping 
for  nigh  half  an  hour,  I  reckon.  You  be  one  of  the  seven 
sleepers,  for  sure." 

"But  what  do  you  want,  Joe?  You  can't  stay  here,  you 
know." 

"Nor  don't  want  to.  I  be  come  to  tell  you,  lad,  I  be 
going  away." 

"Going  away,  Joe  ?" 

"Yes.    No  one  knows  it  but  you,  and  I  wouldn't  ha' 


telled  you  only  the  old  mother  will  be  in  a  rare  taking 
when  she  finds  me  gone,  and  I  want  you  to  tell  her  as  I've 
come  to  no  harm." 

"But  why,  Joe?" 

"Vetch — that's  why.  Tis  no  place  for  me  now,  lad. 
He  bin  cursing  and  swearing  he'll  send  me  to  the  planta- 
tions for  that  business  with  the  barrel,  and  he'll  keep  his 
word.  And  so  I  be  going  to  run  for  it." 

"But  where,  Joe  ?    And  what  about  your  'dentures  ?" 

"That's  where  it  is :  my  'dentures  must  go  too.  If  I  be 
catched,  there's  a  flogging  and  prison  for  that.  But  I 
don't  mean  to  be  catched.  Before  the  sun's  up  I'll  be  on 
my  way  to  Bristowe." 

"That's  ever  so  far." 

"So  'tis,  but  not  further  than  a  pair  of  legs  can  walk." 

"And  will  you  get  a  place  with  a  cooper  there  ?" 

"No,  no;  no  more  coopering  for  me;  I  be  done  with 
barrels  for  good  and  all.  I  be  going  to  sea." 

"To  sea !    What  ever  made  you  think  of  such  a  thing?" 

"One  thing  and  another.  And  I  won't  be  the  first,  not 
even  from  such  an  upland  place  as  Shrewsbury.  Why, 
haven't  we  heard  Mistress  Hind  tell  time  and  again  how 
her  brother  John  Benbow  ran  away  to  sea  nigh  upon 
thirty  years  ago  ?" 

"True,  and  so  did  Sam  Blevins,  and  hasn't  been  heard 
ti  since,  Joe." 

"Well,  if  Vetch  ships  me  to  the  plantations  you  may  be 
sure  no  more  will  be  heard  of  Joe  Punchard,  so  'tis  as 
broad  as  'tis  long." 

"  'Tis  all  my  fault,  Joe.  If  I  hadn't  run  into  the  shop 
this  wouldn't  have  happened,  and  you'd  have  worked  out 
your  'dentures,  and  maybe  risen  to  be  a  partner  with  Mr. 
Mark.  I  wish  I  had  let  them  catch  me,  Joe,  I  do." 


JOE   BREAKS   HIS   INDENTURES          21 

"Now  don't  you  take  on,  Master  Humphrey.  As  for 
partners,  I  be  sick  of  making  barrels  for  other  folks'  beer, 
that's  the  truth,  and  by  what  I've  heard  there's  riches  to 
be  picked  up  in  the  Indies,  and  many  a  sea  captain  is  a 
deal  better  off  than  Matthew  Mark.  And  I'm  set  on  try- 
ing it,  lad,  the  more  so  as,  by  long  and  short,  I  dursn't 
stay  in  Shrewsbury  no  longer.  So  you'll  be  so  good  as  go 
and  see  the  old  mother  to-morrow,  and  tell  her  I  be  gone 
to  sea,  and  I'll  send  her  home  silks,  and  satins,  and 
diamonds,  too,  maybe,  and  I'll  come  home  some  day  rich 
as  creases,  as  I  heard  parson  say  once." 

"I  hope  you1  will,  Joe.  Will  you  write  to  me  and  tell  me 
how  you  are  getting  on  ?" 

"Bless  your  life,  I  can  do  no  more  than  make  my  mark. 
But  maybe  I'll  light  on  some  scholard  who'll  write  down 
out  of  my  mouth,  and  I'll  make  him  limn  a  barrel  on  the 
paper,  and  then  you'll  know  for  sure  'tis  me." 

This  conversation  had  proceeded  in  whispers,  but  Joe's 
whisper  was  sonorous,  and  I  was  in  some  fear  lest  Mis- 
tress Pennyquick,  whose  room  was  hard  by,  should  hear 
the  rumble  and  take  alarm.  Yet  I  could  not  refrain 
(from  keeping  him  while  I  told  of  the  matter  so  near  my 
heart — the  offer  of  Captain  Galsworthy  to  take  me  as  a 
pupil.  Joe  listened  very  sympathetically. 

"  'Tis  an  ill  wind  blows  no  one  good,"  he  said.  "That 
there  barrel  makes  a  sailor  of  me;  maybe  'tis  to  make  a 
sojer  of  you." 

"And  what  of  Cyrus  Vetch"  ?"  I  could  not  help  saying. 

"Ah!  Cyrus  Vetch!"  muttered  Joe,  looking  troubled. 
"I  be  afeared  'twill  make  him  a  downright  enemy  to  you, 
lad.  But  you'll  grow,  and  captain  will  learn  you  how  to 
ply  your  fists,  and  when  it  conies  to  a  fight,  mind  of  my 
fighting  name,  and  punch  hard." 


22  HUMPHREY   BOLD 

Then,  having  promised  to  see  his  mother  and  do  what 
I  could  to  console  her,  I  wrung  his  hand  and  wished  him 
well,  and  he  climbed  out  again  by  the  window,  and  in 
the  starlight  I  watched  him  carry  the  ladder  across  the 
yard ;  and  then  with  a  final  wave  of  the  hand  he  vanished 
into  the  night. 


I   MEET  THE   MOHOCKS 

At  breakfast  I  said  nothing  of  Joe's  midnight  visit, 
reckoning  that  it  would  not  be  long  before  the  news  of  his 
flight  got  abroad.  It  was  indeed  the  subject  of  a  great 
buzz  of  talk  among  my  school-fellows,  who  flocked  about 
me  as  I  walked  down  Castle  Street,  demanding  to  hear 
the  full  story  from  my  own  lips.  I  could  tell  them  noth- 
ing that  they  did  not  know,  save  only  my  leave-taking 
with  Joe  Punchard,  which,  of  course,  I  had  resolved  to 
keep  very  close.  I  learned  from  them  that  Cyrus  was  abed, 
and  like  to  stay  there,  said  Mr.  Pinhorn,  for  a  week  or 
more.  His  father  was  in  a  desperate  rage,  and  had  sent 
horsemen  along  all  the  roads  in  pursuit  of  the  runaway, 
and  I  had  some  fear  that  my  good  friend  would  be  caught 
and  brought  back  to  receive  his  punishment.  However, 
nothing  had  been  heard  of  him  by  the  time  school  was 
over,  so  that  I  had  great  hopes  that  he  had  got  himself 
clean  away.  I  went  to  see  his  mother  as  I  had  promised, 
and  said  what  I  could  to  comfort  her;  but  the  good 
woman  was  mightily  upset,  and  declared  in  a  passion  of 
weeping  that  she  was  sure  she  would  never  see  her  Joe 
again. 

That  evening  at  supper  my  father  was  even  more  quiet 
than  his  wont.  Mistress  Pennyquick  told  me  afterwards 
that  he  had  been  to  see  his  sister  Lady  Cludde  and  her 
husband  at  Cludde  Court,  and  given  them  a  piece  of  his 
mind.  What  passed  between  them  I  know  not,  but  I  do 

23 


24  HUMPHREY    BOLD 

know  that  my  father  never  set  foot  in  Cludde  Court  again, 
nor  did  his  sister  come  any  more  to  the  farm,  even  when 
her  brother  lay  a-dying.  His  visit  had  this  good  effect, 
however,  that  I  suffered  no  more  bullying  at  the  hands 
of  Dick  Cludde  or  Cyrus  Vetch.  Dick  eyed  me  with  a 
malignant  scowl  whenever  he  met  me,  and  as  for  Cyrus, 
who  did  not  come  back  to  school  for  a  good  ten  days,  he 
looked  over  my  head  as  though  I  did  not  exist,  which 
gave  me  no  discomfort,  you  may  be  sure.  At  the  end  of 
that  year  they  were  both  taken  from  school,  Cludde  going 
to  Cambridge,  and  Vetch  to  assist  his  father,  who  was  a 
grain  merchant  in  a  substantial  way,  as  all  Shrewsbury 
supposed. 

It  would  be  a  tedious  matter  were  I  to  tell  all  the  little 
happenings  of  the  next  few  years.  Whether  it  was  due 
to  my  constant  exercise  under  Captain  Galsworthy's  tui- 
tion, I  know  not,  but  certainly,  from  that  very  summer,  I 
grew  at  an  amazing  rate,  shooting  up  until  I  was  as  tall 
as  boys  three  or  four  years  older,  yet  hardening  at  the 
same  time.  Twice  a  week  regularly  I  betook  myself  to 
the  captain's  little  cottage  on  the  Wem  road,  and  spent  an 
hour  with  him  in  mastering  the  principles  and  practice  of 
what  he  called  the  noble  arts  of  self-defense.  He  was 
pleased  to  say  that  I  was  quick  of  eye  and  nimble  of  body, 
and,  being  on  my  side  very  eager  to  learn,  I  was  speedily 
in  his  good  books,  and  he  seemed  to  take  a  special  pleas- 
ure in  teaching  me. 

At  first  I  found  our  bouts  at  fisticuffs  a  severe  tax. 
The  captain,  though  well  on  in  years,  was  still  hale  and 
active,  and,  being  tall  and  spare,  he  had  a  great  advantage 
of  me.  With  the  long  reach  of  his  arms  he  could  pummel 
me  without  giving  me  the  least  chance  of  reprisal,  and 
many's  the  day  I  crawled  home  after  our  encounters 
bruised  and  sore,  provoking  indignant  remonstrances 


I   MEET  THE   MOHOCKS  25 

from  Mistress  Pennyquick.  But  I  refused  to  let  her 
coddle  me,  and  as  my  appetite  never  failed,  and  I  throve 
amazingly,  the  good  woman  at  last  ceased  to  lament,  and, 
as  I  discovered,  was  wont  behind  my  back  to  vaunt  my 
growing  manliness. 

By  the  time  I  was  fifteen  I  was  as  tall  as  the  captain 
himself,  and  then  my  share  of  bruises  ceased  to  be  so 
disproportionate.  In  skill,  whether  with  the  fists  or  the 
foils,  he  was  always  vastly  my  superior ;  indeed,  to  this 
day  I  have  never  met  his  equal.  But  I  had  youth  on  my 
side,  and  sometimes  the  old  man  at  the  end  of  a  particu- 
larly arduous  bout  would  sigh,  and  wish  he  were  younger 
by  a  score  of  years.  No  one  could  have  been  more  gen- 
erous in  encouragement  and  praise.  It  would  have 
amused  an  onlooker,  I  am  sure,  to  see  him,  when  I  had 
had  the  good  fortune  to  tap  claret,  mopping  the  injured 
feature  and  all  the  time  maintaining  a  flow  of  compli- 
mentary remarks. 

"Capital,  my  lad!" — after  fifty  years  I  can  Hear  him 
still — "on  my  life,  a  neat  one,  Humphrey;  I  shall  make 
something  of  you  yet,  my  boy."  And  then  we  fall  to  it 
again,  and,  being  somewhat  over-confident,  perhaps,  after 
my  success,  I  fail  a  little  in  my  guard,  and  the  captain  sees 
his  opportunity  and  lands  me  such  a  series  of  staggerers 
that  I  see  a  thousand  stars,  and  there  am  I  dabbing  my 
nose  while  he  cries  again :  "Capital,  my  lad !  A  Roland 
for  an  Oliver !  And  now  we'll  wash  away  the  sanguinary 
traces  of  our  combat  and  allay  our  noble  rage  with  a  mug 
of  cider."  And  thus,  giving  and  receiving  hard  knocks, 
we  continued  to  be  the  best  of  friends. 

These  years  brought  changes  in  their  train.  One  day 
Joshua  Vetch,  Cyrus'  father,  died  suddenly  of  an  apo- 
plectic fit,  brought  on,  folk  said,  by  disappointment  at 
Mr.  Adderton  the]  draper  being  elected  mayor  over  his 


26  HUMPHREY   BOLD 

head.  And  then  it  was  found  that,  so  far  from  being 
wealthy  as  was  supposed,  he  had  been  for  years  living 
beyond  his  means,  being  ably  assisted  in  his  expenditure 
by  Cyrus.  His  affairs  were  in  great  disorder;  Cyrus 
himself  was  totally  unprovided  for,  and  but  for  his  uncle, 
John  Vetch,  a  reputable  attorney  of  our  town,  who  took 
pity  on  him,  and  gave  him  articles,  God  knows  what 
would  have  become  of  him.  At  this  change  of  fortune  I 
could  not  but  remember  how,  years  before,  he  had  sneered 
at  me  as  a  "charity  brat."  I  fancy  he  remembered  it  too, 
for  when  I  met  him  face  to  face  one  day,  as  I  returned 
from  school,  coming  out  of  his  uncle's  office,  he  flushed 
deeply  and  then  gave  me  such  a  look  of  hatred  that  I  felt 
uneasy  for  days  after. 

Cyrus  had  never  borne  a  good  name  in  Shrewsbury, 
and  after  his  father's  death  he  seemed  to  grow  reckless. 
Dick  Cludde  was  still  at  college,  though  I  never  heard 
that  he  did  any  good  there,  and  in  the  vacations  he  and 
Cyrus  consorted  much  together,  and  became  in  fact  the 
ringleaders  of  a  wild  set  whose  doings  were  a  scandal  in 
Shrewsbury  for  many  a  day.  Cludde,  it  seemed,  had 
made  a  jaunt  to  London  with  other  young  bloods  at  the 
end  of  the  term  in  the  December  of  this  year  1694,  to  see 
the  great  pageant  of  Queen  Mary's  funeral.  The  adven- 
ture did  him  no  good,  for  when  he  returned  to  Shrews- 
bury he  formed,  with  Vetch  and  others  of  his  kidney,  a 
gang  in  imitation  of  the  Mohocks,  as  they  were  called — 
the  band  of  dissolute  young  ruffians  who  then  infested 
London,  wrenching  off  knockers,  molesting  women  in  the 
streets,  pinking  sober  citizens,  and  tumbling  the  old 
watchmen  into  the  gutters.  Our  streets  at  night  became 
the  scene  of  riotous  exploits  of  this  kind,  and  our  watch, 
being  old  and  feeble  men,  were  quite  unable  to  cope  with 
the  rioters,  so  that  decent  folk  began  to  be  afraid  to  stir 


I   MEET   THE    MOHOCKS  27 

abroad  after  dark.  Though  they  disguised  themselves  for 
these  forays,  it  was  shrewdly  suspected  who  they  were; 
but  they  escaped  actual  detection,  and  indeed,  they  were 
held  in  such  terror  by  the  townsfolk  that  no  one  durst 
move  against  them  openly,  for  fear  of  what  might  come 
of  it. 

Things  grew  to  such  a  height  that  one  Saturday  the 
mayor,  with  half  a  dozen  aldermen,  walked  out  to  the 
little  cottage  on  the  Wem  Road,  and  besought  Captain 
Galsworthy's  aid.  The  captain  and  I  chanced  to  be  in  the 
thick  of  an  encounter  with  the  foils,  and  neither  of  us 
heard  the  rap  on  the  door  which  announced  the  visitors. 
A  gust  of  air  when  the  door  was  opened  apprised  us  that 
we  had  onlookers  at  our  sport;  but  the  captain's  eyes 
never  left  mine  until  with  a  dexterous  turn  of  the  wrist, 
which  I  had  long  envied  and  sought  in  vain  to  copy,  he 
sent  my  foil  flying  to  the  end  of  the  room. 

"Capital,  capital !"  cried  he,  removing  his  mask  and 
wiping  his  heated  brow.  "Good  morning,  Mr.  Mayor," 
he  added;  "we  have  kept  you  waiting,  I  fear;  but  we 
were  just  approaching  the  critical  moment:  the  issue  was 
doubtful,  and  there  is  little  satisfaction  in  a  drawn  battle. 
Your  looks  are  portentous,  gentlemen:  is  this  a  visit  of 
state,  may  I  ask  ?" 

Whereupon  the  mayor,  an  honest  little  draper,  made  a 
speech  which  I  am  sure  he  had  diligently  conned  over  be- 
forehand. He  passed  from  a  recital  of  the  woes  under 
which  Shrewsbury  suffered  to  a  most  flattering  eulogium 
of  the  captain's  prowess,  to  which  my  good  friend  listened 
with  an  air  of  approval  that  amused  me  mightily.  And 
then  the  mayor  came  to  the  point,  and  in  the  name  of  the 
corporation  and  all  decent  citizens  of  Shrewsbury  be- 
sought the  captain  to  suppress  the  disturbers  of  their 
peace. 


"Hum!  ha!"  said  the  captain,  rubbing  his  nose  reflec- 
tively. "I  am  an  old  man,  Mr.  Mayor :  methinks  this  is 
work  for  younger  blood  than  mine." 

"No,  no!"  cried  the  company  in  chorus. 

"We  seed  tha  knock  the  steel  from  the  hand  of  Master 
Bold  there  as  'twere  a  knitting  needle,"  says  the  mayor, 
whose  speech  was  as  broad  as  his  figure. 

"Well,  well,"  says  the  captain,  "I'll  think  of  it,  my 
friends.  You  do  me  great  honor,  and  I  thank  you  for 
your  visit." 

The  captain  and  I  talked  over  the  matter  between  our- 
selves, and  the  upshot  of  our  consultation  was  that  we  got 
together  a  little  band  of  his  former  pupils,  and  for  several 
nights  in  succession  we  perambulated  the  streets  of 
Shrewsbury  from  the  English  to  the  Welsh  Bridge  and 
from  the  Castle  to  the  Quarry,  with  naked  swords  and  a 
martial  air.  But  we  had  our  exercise  for  nothing.  The 
town  was  as  quiet  as  a  graveyard,  and  the  only  disturber 
of  the  peace  that  engaged  our  attention  was  poor  Tom 
Jessopp,  the  drayman,  who,  one  night,  having  drunk  more 
old  October  than  was  good  for  him,  encountered  us  as  he 
was  staggering  home  down  Shop-latch,  and  invited  us, 
first  to  wet  our  whistles,  and,  on  our  declining,  to  fight 
him  for  a  pint.  We  escorted  him  home  and  put  him  to 
bed,  not  without  some  difficulties  and  inconveniences,  and 
that  was  the  first  and  last  of  our  adventures,  the  captain 
declaring  that  to  deal  with  topers  was  no  work  for  a  man 
of  honor. 

The  very  night  after  our  company  was  thus  dissolved 
the  mayor  was  knocked  down  at  the  foot  of  Swan  Hill  by 
the  Town  Wall,  gagged  and  trussed,  and  laid  upon  his 
own  doorstep,  where  he  was  found  by  the  maidservant  in 
the  morning,  having  wrought  himself  to  the  verge  of 
apoplexy  by  his  struggles  to  rid  himself  of  his  bonds.  He 


29 

besought  the  captain  with  tears  of  outraged  dignity  to 
resume  his  guardianship  of  the  town ;  but  the  old  warrior 
merely  rubbed  his  nose  and  spoke  of  rheumatism. 

The  outrages  occurred  only  at  intervals,  and  ceased 
altogether  during  the  college  terms,  when  Dick  Cludde 
was  absent,  so  that  we  were  not  far  wrong  in  our  infer- 
ence that  he  was  the  fount  and  origin  of  the  deeds  of  law- 
lessness. The  townsfolk,  you  may  be  sure,  did  not  love 
him ;  nor  did  the  high  and  mighty  airs  Sir  Richard  and 
my  lady  chose  to  assume  in  their  dealings  with  the  citi- 
zens win  them  many  friends ;  so  that  when  it  became 
known,  about  the  time  when  Dick  left  Cambridge  finally, 
without  a  degree,  that  his  father  had  suffered  serious 
reverses  of  fortune  in  his  adventures  in  oversea  trade, 
there  were  few  who  felt  anything  but  satisfaction. 

At  this  time  I  was  midway  in  my  seventeenth  year — a 
big  strapping  fellow  standing  five  feet  ten,  having  quite 
outgrown  the  delicacy  of  my  childhood.  I  was  high  up  in 
the  school,  on  good  terms  with  the  masters,  though  my 
Latin  and  Greek  was  never  considerable :  on  better  terms 
with  the  boys,  for,  I  must  own,  my  inclinations  were 
rather  towards  baseball  and  quoits  than  towards  the  nice 
discrimination  of  longs  and  shorts.  I  had  developed  in 
particular  an  amazing  strength  of  arm,  which  stood  me  in 
good  stead  in  wrestling  bouts,  and  led  to  my  being 
counted  two  in  our  tugs  of  war.  It  was  this  same 
strength,  I  fancy,  that  made  my  school-fellows  chary  of 
provoking  me  to  wrath,  for  which  I  was  somewhat  sorry, 
having  always  loved  a  fight. 

During  these  years  no  tidings  came  to  us  of  Joe  Punch- 
ard.  His  poor  mother,  who  earned  a  living  by  washing 
for  some  of  our  Shrewsbury  folk,  feared  the  worst  from 
his  long  silence.  But  Mistress  Nelly  Hind,  who  kept  a 
coffee  shop  in  Raven  Street,  called  Mistress  Punchard  a 


30  HUMPHREY.   BOLD 

croaker  and  bade  her  be  of  good  cheer,  for  she  had  neither 
seen  nor  directly  heard  from  her  brother  John  Benbow 
for  twenty  years ;  yet  he  was  alive  and  well,  and  captain 
of  a  king's  ship,  if  rumor  were  not  a  false,  lying  jade. 

"Not  that  your  Joe  will  ever  rise  to  such  a  height,"  she 
added. 

"Sure  he's  a  better  boy  than  ever  your  John  was,"  said 
Mistress  Punchard,  up  in  arms  for  her  offspring. 

"John's  legs  are  as  straight  as  the  bed-post,"  retorted 
his  sister,  and  then  the  two  women  began  a  war  of  words, 
in  the  midst  of  which,  having  drunk  my  dish  of  coffee,  I 
slipped  away. 

I  rarely  speculated  on  my  future,  and  my  father  never 
spoke  of  it.  We  took  it  for  granted  that  I  should  suc- 
ceed him  in  his  little  property,  and  during  the  school 
holidays  I  sometimes  accompanied  him  to  market,  and 
learned  to  handle  samples  of  grain  and  to  discuss  the 
points  of  his  fat  cattle.  It  was  when  I  was  approaching 
the  end  of  my  seventeenth  year  that  I  began  to  think  of 
the  future  more  nearly.  My  father  had  suffered  long — • 
though  Mistress  Pennyquick  and  I  had  known  nothing  of 
it,  he  being  so  reticent — from  a  disease  which  nowadays 
physicians  call  angina  pectoris,  a  disease  that  grips  a 
man  by  the  chest,  as  'twere  his  breastbones  are  ground 
together,  with  breathlessness  and  exquisite  pain.  As  he 
grew  older,  the  attacks  recurred  more  frequently  and 
with  greater  violence,  and  after  one  of  them,  the  first 
I  had  seen  with  my  own  eyes,  he  sent  for  Mr.  Vetch,  the 
attorney,  and  was  closeted  with  him  a  great  while  in  his 
room.  Mistress  Penny  quick's  face  was  very  grave  when 
she  spoke  to  me  about  it  afterwards. 

"  Tis  a  bad  sign  when  a  man  sends  for  his  lawyer, 
Humphrey,"  she  said.  "I  can't  abide  'un,  for  they  al- 
ways make  me  think  of  my  latter  end.  Your  father  have 


I    MEET   THE   MOHOCKS  31 

made  his  will,  I'll  be  bound,  and  I  wish  he  spoke  more 
free  of  things.  But  there,  'tis  always  the  way ;  empty  bar- 
rels make  the  most  noise,  as  the  saying1  is,  and  I  will 
groan  with  the  toothache  while  the  poor  master  will  suf- 
fer his  agonies  without  a  word." 

One  night  as  we  were  sitting  reading,  my  father  had 
an  attack  which  terrified  us.  All  at  once,  without  a 
moment's  warning,  he  dropped  his  book,  and  stood  up, 
bending  forward,  his  face  blue,  his  eyes  almost  starting 
from  his  head.  We  hastened  to  him,  but  he  motioned  us 
away,  and  then  Mistress  Pennyquick  bade  me  ride  for 
Mr.  Pinhorn.  I  snatched  my  cap,  and,  knowing  that 
with  my  long  legs  I  could  reach  the  town  by  the  fields 
more  quickly  than  on  horseback  by  the  road,  I  did  not 
stay  to  saddle  Jerry,  but  set  off  at  full  speed  across  five- 
acre,  vaulted  the  gate  into  the  spinney,  and  so  on  till  I 
gained  the  bridge,  by  which  time  I  was  blowing  like  a 
furnace. 

It  was  dark,  being  October,  and  though  I  knew  every 
yard  of  our  ground,  I  marvel  now  to  think  how  I  escaped 
breaking  my  leg  in  a  ditch  or  coming  to  some  other  mis- 
hap. I  raced  on  to  Raven  Street,  where  Mr.  Pinhorn 
lived,  and  by  good  luck  found  him  just  alighting  at  the 
door  from  his  nag.  I  told  him  my  errand  in  gasps ;  the 
good  surgeon  understood  without  much  telling,  and  he 
leaped  again  into  the  saddle  (his  foot  never  having  left 
the  stirrup)  and  galloped  away. 

My  knees  shook  so  violently  with  the  exertions  I  had 
made  that  I  would  fain  have  rested  a  while  before  return- 
ing. But  the  thought  that  my  father  might  die  in  my  ab- 
sence struck  me  with  a  chill,  and  I  set  off  at  a  swinging 
stride  after  the  surgeon.  I  had  gone  but  a  few  yards, 
however,  wKen,  ahead  of  me,  by  the  light  of  a  flickering 
oil-lamp,  hanging  from  a  bracket  before  one  of  the 


33  HUMPHREY   BOLD 

houses,  I  saw  a  group  of  some  five  or  six,  youths  by  their 
build,  gathered  about  a  doorway.  Immediately  after- 
wards I  heard  from  the  same  spot  a  harsh  sound  as  of 
rending  wood,  followed  by  guffaws  of  laughter.  The 
party  then  moved  quickly  on  for  a  few  paces,  and  again 
came  to  a  halt  at  a  doorway,  whence  in  a  few  seconds  the 
same  sound  reached  my  ears. 

Passing  the  door  at  which  I  had  first  seen  them,  I  no- 
ticed that  where  the  knocker  should  have  been  there 
was  nothing  but  a  few  bent  nails  and  a  splintered  panel. 
After  former  experiences  my  suspicion  scarce  needed  this 
confirmation:  without  doubt  these  were  our  Shrewsbury 
Mohocks,  out  for  a  night's  frolic.  I  had  never  before 
seen  them  at  their  diversions,  my  patrolling  of  the  streets 
with  Captain  Galsworthy  having  been  a  mere  parade,  as 
I  have  related,  and  now  I  was  in  no  mood  to  encounter 
them,  having  the  trouble  of  my  father's  illness  on  my 
mind.  But  I  perceived  that  they  were  engaged  in  wreak- 
ing their  knavery  upon  the  sign-board  of  Nelly  Hind,  and 
my  blood  waxed  hot  at  the  thought  of  the  poor  woman's 
distress,  and  my  fingers  itched  to  strike  a  blow  on  her 
behalf. 

Strong  as  I  was>  I  knew  'twould  be  mere  folly  to  at- 
tempt single-handed  to  engage  half  a  dozen,  and  I  was 
thinking  of  running  quickly  to  some  of  the  members  of 
the  Captain's  disbanded  force  and  enlisting  their  help 
when  the  situation  was  changed  by  the  arrival  of  old  Ben 
Ivimey,  the  feeblest  of  the  ancient  watchmen  to  whom 
the  peace  of  Shrewsbury  was  confided.  He  was  past 
sixty  and  stone  deaf,  and  his  bent  old  figure,  with  a  lan- 
tern in  one  hand  and  a  staff  in  the  other,  came  round  the 
corner  all  unsuspecting  what  was  in  store  for  him. 

The  Mohocks,  intent  upon  their  mischief,  did  not  ob- 
serve the  coming  of  the  watchman.  He  was  a  little  man, 


I   MEET   THE   MOHOCKS  33 

but  must  have  been  of  some  mettle  in  his  day,  for,  per- 
ceiving what  is  afoot,  he  toddles  up  in  his  odd  head- 
long gait,  and  laying  his  hand  on  the  arm  of  one  of  the 
roisterers,  formally  arrests  him  in  the  name  of  the  mayor. 
The  fellow  swings  round  at  the  touch,  and  bursts  into  a 
roar  of  laughter.  He  was  masked,  as  were  all  his  com- 
panions ;  but  I  knew  him  by  his  make  to  be  Cyrus  Vetch. 
Well,  he  laughs,  and  shakes  off  the  watchman's  feeble 
grasp,  and  springing  back,  draws  his  sword ;  and  in  an- 
other instant  there  was  old  Ben,  the  center  of  the  group, 
skipping  this  way  and  that  to  avoid  their  sword-points, 
protesting,  threatening,  appealing,  escaping  one  merely 
to  run  upon  another.  I  will  say  this  for  them,  that  they 
intended  to  do  him  no  harm ;  their  lunges  were  sportive 
and  not  in  earnest;  but  diverting  as  the  sport  was  to 
them,  it  was  the  very  contrary  to  the  old  man,  whose  cries 
proclaimed  that  he  thought  his  last  hour  was  come. 

All  this  happened  in  the  space  of  a  few  moments.  I 
was  unwilling  to  leave  old  Ben  to  the  mercy  of  his  tor- 
mentors while  I  ran  for  assistance,  as  I  was  intending; 
yet  it  was  clear  I  could  do  nothing  alone.  "John  Kynas- 
ton,"  thinks  I,  "lives  only  a  couple  of  hundred  yards 
away :  he  and  I  together  might  account  for  the  ruffians." 
I  was  just  turning  to  make  my  way  to  Kynaston's  house, 
when  a  cry  of  pain  from  the  old  man  drove  out  all  con- 
siderations of  prudence.  In  dodging  one  of  that  ring  of 
steel  points  it  would  appear  that  he  had  stumbled  full 
upon  another,  and  the  weapon,  by  accident  or  otherwise, 
had  pierced  his  arm.  My  blood  was  up;  I  clean  forgot 
my  design  of  running  for  help.  I  had  no  weapon  with 
me,  but,  hastily  scanning  the  dim-lit  street  for  a  some- 
thing to  wield,  my  foot  kicked  an  object  in  the  gutter. 
In  a  trice  I  had  seized  it  in  both  hands,  barely  conscious 
of  its  weight.  Then  I  ran  with  it  the  few  yards  that 


34  HUMPHREY,   BOLD 

separated  me  from  the  scuffle,  and,  lifting  my  weapon 
above  my  head,  hurled  it  at  the  nearest  of  the  group. 
There  was  a  sound  of  fury  from  the  fellow  at  whom  I 
had  aimed,  and  from  the  two  beyond  him — a  sound  muf- 
fled and  all  but  inarticulate,  for  the  missile  which  had 
*  fallen  like  a  bolt  among  them  was  a  large  wooden  bin 
filled  with  household  refuse,  and  placed  in  the  gutter  for 
the  coming  of  the  early  morning  scavenger. 


CHAPTER  IV 

CAPTAIN  JOHN   BENBOW 

Our  Mohocks  suffered  some  discomfort,  I  fear,  as  the 
contents  of  the  bin  hurtled  upon  them.  Household  refuse 
hath,  to  be  sure,  no  sweetness  of  savor ;  and  the  shower 
of  bones,  egg-shells,  cabbage  stalks,  potato  parings,  rinds 
of  bacon,  and  what  not,  with  a  plentiful  admixture  of 
white  wood  ash,  served  to  stay  their  activity  in  deeds, 
though  I  must  own  it  did  but  enhance  the  fury  of  their 
tongues.  But  the  diversion  gave  me  a  breathing-space  in 
which  I  drew  old  Ben  within  the  shadow  of  a  doorway 
and  took  his  staff  from  his  fainting  hands — not  without 
resistance  on  his  part,  for  the  mettlesome  old  fellow  re- 
fused to  yield  up  his  insignia  until  I  brought  my  face 
within  an  inch  of  his  dim  eyes,  and  hie  recognized  me 
for  a  friend. 

"Spring  your  rattle,  man !"  I  cried,  and  then  to  the  din 
of  curses  and  roars  for  vengeance  there  was  added  the 
sharp  crackle  of  his  alarm  signal. 

By  this  time  the  leaders  of  the  rioters  had  rubbed  the 
dust  from  their  eyes  and  came  towards  me,  the  foremost 
of  them,  Cyrus  Vetch,  shouting  to  his  comrades  to  spit 
me  like  a  toad.  He  had  recognized  me,  and  sprang  to- 
wards the  doorway  where  I  stood  with  staff  aslant,  the 
trembling  watchman  still  whirling  his  rattle  behind.  Mad 
with  rage  he  cut  at  me  with  his  sword,  which  bit  deep 
into  the  staff,  by  that  very  fact  becoming  for  a  brief  mo- 
ment useless.  Before  Vetch  could  recover  his  weapon, 

35 


36  HUMPHREY   BOLD 

I  had  withdrawn  mine,  and  lunging  fair  upon  him,  I 
dealt  him  a  thrust  that  sent  him  spinning  half  way  across 
the  street.  But  I  was  now  beset  by  his  comrades,  who 
made  at  me  from  both  sides  of  the  porch,  but  for  whose 
shelter  I  should  in  all  likelihood  have  been  overborne. 
They  had  some  sense  of  fair  play,  however.  They  re- 
turned their  swords  to  the  scabbards,  and  were  for  trust- 
ing to  their  fists  alone.  I  contrived  to  give  one  of  them 
a  smart  tap  on  the  crown  before  they  came  to  close  quar- 
ters ;  but  ere  I  could  recover  myself  they  were  upon  me, 
the  staff  was  wrenched  from  my  grasp,  and  I  was  as 
hard  put  to  it  as  a  stag  bayed  by  hounds.  I  made  what 
play  I  could  with  my  fists,  and  got  home  at  least  one  blow 
for  two;  but  the  odds  were  too  heavy  against  me,  and 
when  at  length  a  fellow  as  big  as  myself  slipped  round 
to  my  back  and  gripped  me  hard  by  the  neck,  all  my 
struggles  did  not  avail  to  prevent  my  being  shoved  and 
pulled  and  hustled  out  into  the  middle  of  the  street. 

Vetch  had  picked  himself  up,  and  now  came  running 
towards  me  in  a  frenzy.  In  his  rage  he  had  plucked  off 
his  mask,  revealing  his  distorted  features  to  all  the  good 
folk  who,  I  doubt  not,  by  this  time  had  their  heads  out 
at  their  windows,  viewing  the  scene  from  a  secure  alti- 
tude. 

"Out  of  the  way,  Mytton!"  he  screamed,  his  voice 
shrill  with  passion.  "Out  of  the  way,  I  say ;  I  will  crop 
his  ears,  the  cur !" 

Burt  Mytton,  the  fellow  who  had  me  by  the  neck,  and 
some  others  of  the  band,  were  not  for  pushing  things  to 
such  extremities.  They  closed  about  to  protect  me,  and 
even  Dick  Cludde  caught  Vetch's  arm  and  expostulated 
with  him.  Another  meanwhile  had  snatched  old  Ivimey's 
rattle  from  him,  and  ever  and  anon  amid  the  din  I  caught 
the  sound  of  his  quavering  voice  calling,  "Help  for  the 


I  dealt  him  a  thrust  that  sent  him  spinning.      Page  36 


CAPTAIN   JOHN   BENBOW  37 

watch !  O  my  sakes !  O  my  bones !"  Then  a  cry  arose : 
"To  the  river !  Give  'em  a  ducking !"  and  in  another  mo- 
ment there  we  were,  myself  and  Ivimey,  being  lugged  at 
a  quick  scuffle  down  the  street  towards  the  Severn.  There 
was  no  hope  of  escape,  and  I  had  resigned  myself  to  the 
imminent  bath,  when  at  a  turn  in  the  narrow  roadway  we 
found  the  path  blocked  by  two  pedestrians.  With  Myt- 
ton's  hand  forcing  my  head  downwards  I  did  not  at  first 
see  them,  but  I  heard  a  loud  voice  call,  "Hold,  rascals  1" 
breaking  in  upon  the  watchman's  feeble  cry,  "O  my  sakes ! 
Help  for  the  watch !" 

"Out  of  the  way!"  cried  Vetch;  but  the  next  moment 
I  heard  a  clatter  of  steel  upon  the  cobbles;  and  guessed 
that  the  stranger  had  struck  my  enemy's  sword  from  his 
hand.  Then  my  neck  was  released,  and  looking  up  I 
saw  my  captor  himself  captive  in  the  grip  of  a  tall  man 
in  riding  cloak  and  high  boots,  while  Vetch  was  strug- 
gling with  a  short,  thick-set  fellow  who  had  his  arms 
about  the  other's  body. 

Bullies  are  ever  cowards  at  heart,  and  the  rest  of  the 
band,  finding  the  tables  thus  turned  upon  them,  had 
taken  to  their  heels  and  disappeared  into  the  night. 

"Let  me  go,  hound !"  yelled  Vetch,  and  at  the  answer 
I  started  with  a  thrill  of  pleasure. 

"Let  ye  go !  Not  for  all  the  aldermen  in  the  country. 
'Twas  your  tricks  drove  me  out  of  Shrewsbury,  and 
seemingly  ye're  at  'em  still.  You  ha'nt  learnt  your  les- 
son, Master  Vetch ;  more  fool  you." 

It  was  Joe  Punchard's  voice.  If  I  had  doubted  it  I 
should  have  been  assured  by  a  word  that  fell  from  his 
companion. 

"Haul  him  to  the  watch-house,  Joe.  I'll  bring  this 
fellow!" 

"And  the  bag,  Captain  ?"  says  Joe. 


38  HUMPHREY   BOLQ 

"Give  it  to  this  long  fellow,"  says  the  other,  with  a 
hard  look  at  me. 

And  I  found  a  large  bag  thrust  into  my  arms,  which 
Joe  had  been  carrying  and  had  dropped  on  the  road  at 
the  encounter. 

By  this  time  a  crowd  had  assembled,  the  good  folk 
who  had  been  craning  their  necks  at  the  windows  having 
swarmed  out,  now  that  the  danger  was  past.  And  as  we 
thronged  up  the  street  a  score  of  voices  poured  into  the 
ears  of  the  man  Joe  had  called  "captain"  the  full  tale  of 
the  Mohocks'  doings.  I  walked  among  them,  shouldering 
the  bag.  I  perceived  that  Joe  had  not  recognized  me, 
which  was  not  to  be  wondered  at,  seeing  that  when  he 
last  saw  me  I  was  a  pale  slip  of  a  boy,  whereas  now  I 
was  a  tall  brawny  youth  with  cheeks  the  color  of  a  ripe 
russet.  And  Joe  himself  was  not  quite  the  'prentice  lad 
I  had  known.  His  legs  indeed  were  no  less  bowed  than 
of  yore;  nor  was  his  hair  less  red;  but  the  round  face 
appeared  rounder  than  ever  by  reason  of  a  thick  fringe 
of  whiskers.  His  body  had  filled  out,  and  he  moved  with 
a  rolling  gait  that  caused  him  to  usurp  more  than  one 
man's  share  of  the  narrow  street. 

When  we  had  laid  the  two  ruffians  safely  in  ward,  the 
captain  said  to  Joe: 

"Now  we'll  go  visit  Nelly,  and  'gad,  my  limbs  yearn 
for  bed,  Joe.  This  fellow  can  still  carry  the  bag;  'tis 
worth  a  groat." 

I  grinned,  and  stepping  alongside  of  Joe,  whose  head 
did  not  reach  much  above  my  elbow,  I  looked  down  on 
him,  and  said : 

"Don't  you  know  me,  Joe?" 

His  start  of  surprise  set  me  a-smiling.  His  round 
face,  somewhat  more  weather-beaten  than  when  I  saw  it 


CAPTAIN   JOHN    BENBOW  39 

last,  expressed  amazement,  incredulity,  and  half  a  dozen 
more  emotions  in  turn. 

"Bless  my  soul !"  he  cried.  "Sure  'tis  little  Humphrey 
Bold,  growed  mountain  high.  Give  me  the  bag,  sir; 
God  forbid  you  should  bear  a  load  for  Joe  Punchard." 

"No,  no,"  I  replied.  "I'll  earn  my  groat,  now  I've  be- 
gun. And  right  glad  I  am  to  see  you,  Joe ;  I  had  thought 
never  to  look  on  your  face  again." 

"And  would  not,  but  for  my  dear  captain,"  says  he. 
"Captain,  'tis  Master  Bold,  the  boy  I  told  ye  of.  'Twas 
him  I  saved  from  the  hands  of  Cyrus  Vetch  the  last  day 
I  was  to  home,  and  sure  'tis  a  wonderful  thing  that  the 
very  night  of  home-coming  we  save  him  again.  Vetch 
needs  another  turn  in  the  barrel,  methinks.  I  wonder  if 
my  old  master  has  one  that  will  hold  his  long  carcass. 
But  look  'ee,  Master  Humphrey,  this  be  Captain  Ben- 
bow,  Mistress  Nelly's  brother,  and  my  dear  master.  Oh, 
I've  a  deal  to  tell  'ee  of,  and  a  deal  to  hear,  I  warrant 
me.  Is  my  old  mother  yet  alive,  sir?" 

"Yes,  and  hale  and  hearty,  Joe,  though  she  has  well- 
nigh  given  up  hope  of  the  silks  and  satins  you  promised 
her." 

"Bless  her  heart,  she  shall  have  'em  now.  We  have 
rid  from  Bristowe,  sir,  the  captain  and  me,  and  we 
stayed  but  to  put  up  our  horses  at  the  Bull  and  Gate, 
where  I  left  my  bag  filled  with  good  store  of  things  for 
the  old  woman.  Won't  she  open  her  eyes!  Won't  she 
thank  Heaven  for  bandy-legged  Joe !" 

We  had  now  reached  the  door  of  Mistress  Hind's 
house,  and  as  I  set  down  the  bag  a  great  oath  burst  from 
Captain  Benbow's  lips. 

"Split  me!"  says  he,  eying  the  splintered  panel  and 
the  gap  where  the  knocker  had  been.  "Had  I  those 


40  HUMPHREY   BOLD! 

villains  on  deck  they  should  have  a  supper  of  rope's  end, 
I  warrant  you." 

His  voice  was  rough,  and  his  tongue  had  a  keen  Shrop- 
shire tang,  which  indeed  it  never  lost,  giving  thereby 
evidence  to  confute  those  who  afterwards  claimed  for 
him  kinship  with  a  noble  family.  In  truth  Benbow  was 
the  son  of  an  honest  tanner  of  our  town,  and  took  no 
shame  of  his  origin :  his  greatness  was  above  such  petti- 
ness of  spirit  He  had  run  away  to  sea  at  an  early  age, 
and  for  some  years  lived  a  hard  life  before  the  mast. 
But  his  native  merits  in  time  triumphed  over  adverse  for- 
tune, and  before  he  was  thirty  he  became  master  and  in 
a  good  measure  owner  of  a  frigate  which  he  called  The 
Benbow.  It  is  said,  I  know  not  with  what  truth,  that 
his  fortunes  date  from  an  adventure  that  befell  him  in 
the  year  1686.  In  the  Benbow  frigate  he  was  attacked 
by  a  sallee  rover,  who  boarded  him,  but  was  beaten  off 
with  the  loss  of  thirteen  men.  Benbow  (I  tell  the  tale  as 
I  heard  it)  cut  off  their  heads  and  threw  them  into 
pickle.  When  he  landed  at  Cadiz,  he  brought  them  on 
shore  in  a  sack,  and  on  being  challenged  by  the  custom- 
house officers  as  importing  contraband  goods,  he  threw 
them  on  the  table  with,  "Gentlemen,  if  you  like  'em, 
they  are  at  your  service."  This  saying  so  tickled  the 
humor  of  the  king  of  Spain  that  he  recommended  Ben- 
bow  to  our  King  James,  and  thus  led  to  his  promotion 
in  our  Royal  Navy.  The  captain  was  now  somewhat 
above  forty  years  old,  straight  but  slight  in  build,  not 
ill-looking,  save  that  his  nose  was  a  trifle  over-big — a 
defect  not  uncommon,  I  have  remarked,  among  great 
commanders. 

Well,  as  I  said,  we  had  arrived  at  Mistress  Hind's 
door,  and  the  captain  was  in  a  great  rage  at  the  havoc 
wrought  by  Vetch  and  his  crew.  He  rapped  on  the  door 


CAPTAIN   JOHN    BENBOW  41 

with  the  hilt  of  his  sword,  and  out  pops  Mistress  Nelly's 
head  from  the  window  above  ('twas  in  a  night-cap),  and 
she  screams : 

"Out  upon  you,  you  vagabones!  You've  done  mis- 
chief enough  for  one  night,  drat  you,  and  if  ye  be  not 
gone  inside  of  half  a  minute  I'll  empty  the  slops  on  ye, 
that  I  will." 

Benbow  laughed.  "The  family  spirit!"  he  says  under 
his  breath  to  Joe.  "Speak  to  her ;  don't  tell  her  I'm  here." 

"Oh,  Mistress  Hind,"  says  Joe  in  a  mournful  voice, 
"here's  a  welcome  to  a  poor  worn-out  old  mariner  as  you 
used  to  befriend." 

"Who  in  the  world  are  ye?"  she  asks. 

"Who  but  Joe  Punchard,  ma'am,  that  went  away  for 
rolling  a  barrel,  and  has  been  a-rolling  ever  since." 

"Ay,  now  I  know  your  voice.  Back  like  a  bad  penny, 
are  ye?  Come  and  see  me  to-morrow ;  I'm  abed  now." 

"But  I've  brought  a  friend  with  me — another  poor  old 
mariner" — with  a  wink  at  Benbow — "who  wants  a  night's 
lodging." 

"Can  he  pay?"  asks  Mistress  Hind. 

"To  be  sure :  his  pockets  are  full  of  pieces  of  eight  and 
other  sound  coin." 

"Then  I'll  come  down  to  you ;  but  ye  must  bide  a  min- 
ute or  two  till  I  throw  a  few  things  on,  for  I'd  die  rather 
than  show  myself  to  a  mariner  in  my  night-rail." 

Benbow  laughed  again. 

"  Tis  twenty  years  or  more  since  I  saw  Nell,"  he  said, 
"but  I'd  know  her  tongue  in  any  company." 

And  now  the  remembrance  of  my  father's  illness, 
which  the  subsequent  excitements  had  driven  from  my 
mind,  returned  with  a  sudden  force  that  made  me  take 
a  hasty  leave  of  the  two  travelers,  though  both  asked  me 
to  wait  and  drink  a  dish  of  coffee  with  them.  So  I  did 


42  HUMPHREY    BOLD 

not  see  the  meeting  of  brother  and  sister,  but  learned  from 
Joe  next  day  the  manner  of  it.  Mistress  Hind  did  not 
recognize  the  captain,  never  Having  seen  him  from  a  boy, 
until,  sitting  at  table  with  a  dish  of  coffee  before  him, 
and  she  standing  over  him,  bidding  him  haste  that  she 
might  return  to  bed — sitting  thus,  I  say,  he  took  up  the 
dish  and  began  to  blow  into  it  to  cool  it,  as  children  do. 

"Why,"  says  Mistress  Hind,  "tha  blows  it  round  and 
round  to  make  little  waves,  just  like  my  brother  John." 

"Nelly !"  says  the  captain,  setting  the  dish  down. 

"And  there  they  were,"  said  Joe  in  telling  me  the  story, 
"in  each  other's  arms,  and  when  she'd  done  drying  her 
eyes  she  says,  "  'John,  and  I  needn't  ha'  minded  about  the 
night-rail!'" 

It  was  nigh  eleven  o'clock  when  I  got  home — a  very 
late  hour  in  our  parts,  and  Mistress  Pennyquick  was  in 
a  great  to-do,  imagining  all  kihds  of  evil  that  might  have 
befallen  me.  Mr.  Pinhorn  had  remained  with  my  father 
a  long  time,  she  said ;  he  was  now  asleep  and  was  not  to 
be  disturbed.  I  was  myself  fairly  tired  out,  and  fell 
asleep  the  instant  my  head  touched  the  pillow. 


CHAPTER  V 

I  LOSE  MY  BEST  FRIEND 

There  was  a  crowded  court-house  next  day  when 
Ralph  Mytton  and  Cyrus  Vetch  were  brought  before  the 
Mayor  and  charged  with  breach  of  the  peace  and  ma- 
licious damage  to  the  property  of  lieges.  It  was  the  first 
time  that  the  Mohocks  had  been  caught  in  the  act,  and 
their  being  well  connected  added  a  spice  to  the  event. 
The  two  prisoners  bore  themselves  very  differently.  Myt- 
ton, a  nephew  of  the  member  of  Parliament,  assumed  an 
air  of  bravado,  smiled  and  winked  at  his  friends  in  court, 
evidently  trusting  to  his  high  connections  to  get  him  off 
lightly.  Vetch,  on  the  other  hand,  was  sullen  and  mo- 
rose, never  lifting  his  eyes  from  the  floor  except  when  I 
was  giving  my  evidence,  and  then  he  threw  me  a  glance 
in  which  I  read,  as  clearly  as  in  a  book,  the  threat  of 
venomous  hate.  Both  he  and  Mytton  were  very  heavily 
fined,  and  the  Mayor  was  good  enough  to  compliment 
me  on  the  part  I  had  played. 

As  we  were  leaving  the  court,  a  tipstaff  came  up  to 
Joe  Punchard,  and  formally  arrested  him  as  a  runaway 
'prentice,  at  the  instance,  I  doubt  not,  of  Vetch  himself. 
But  the  matter  ended  in  a  triumph  for  Joe,  for  Captain 
Benbow  accompanied  him  before  the  Mayor  and  de- 
clared that  as  a  mariner  in  the  King's  navy  he  was  im- 
mune from  civil  action.  Whether  the  plea  was  good  in 
law  I  know  not.  The  Mayor  did  not  know  either,  and 

43 


44  HUMPHREY   BOLD 

the  clerk,  to  judge  by  his  countenance,  was  in  an  equal 
state  of  puzzlement.  But  Benbow  was  clearly  not  a  man 
to  be  trifled  with,  and  Joe  had  certainly  had  a  part  in 
bringing  the  Mohocks  to  book,  and  for  one  reason  or 
another  he  was  given  the  benefit  of  the  doubt.  When 
he  left  the  court  he  was  mightily  cheered  by  a  mob  of 
'prentices  among  the  crowd,  and  would  have  accepted  the 
invitations  to  drink  pressed  upon  him  but  for  the  per- 
emptory orders  of  his  captain,  who  was  no  wine-bibber 
himself,  being  therein  unlike  many  of  the  navy  men  of 
his  time. 

The  fines  levied  on  Mytton  and  Vetch  were  the  least 
part  of  their  punishment.  The  incident  of  the  dust  bin 
brought  on  them  open  ridicule;  they  became  the  laugh- 
ing-stock of  Shrewsbury.  The  school  wag,  who  after- 
wards became  famous  for  his  elegant  Greek  verses  at 
Cambridge,  pilloried  them  in  a  lampoon  which  the  whole 
town  got  by  heart,  and  for  days  afterwards  they  could 
not  show  their  faces  without  being  greeted  by  some  lines 
from  it  by  every  small  boy  who  thought  himself  beyond 
their  reach.  It  began,  I  remember : 


Come  list  me  sing  a  famous  battle, 
A  dustbin  and  a  watchman's  rattle ; 
The  hero  he  was  nominate  Cyrus, 
The  scene  was  Shrewsbury,  not  Epirus. 


The  rhymster  introduced  all  the  characters;  lor  in- 
stance: 

Another  who  the  dust  has  bitten 
Was  a  brawny  putt  by  name  Ralph  Mytton; 
And  Richard  Cludde,  a  Cambridge  lubber, 
He  ran  away  home  to  his  mam  to  blubber; 


and  so  tHe  'doggerel  went  on,  chronicling  the  details  (more 


I   LOSE   MY   BEST   FRIEND  45 

or  less  imaginary)  of  the  fight,  the  entrance  of  Mr.  Ben- 
bow  and  Punchard  on  the  scene : 

And  Nelly  Hind's  bashed  portal  closes 
On  bandy  legs  and  Roman  noses ; 

and  ending  thus : 

Carmen  conclude  sine  mora : 
"Intus  si  recte  ne  labora," 

which  being  the  school  motto  (dragged  in  by  the  hair  of 
the  head,  so  to  speak),  pleased  Mr.  Lloyd,  the  master, 
mightily. 

The  rage  of  the  persons  chiefly  concerned  knew  no 
bounds,  and  this  good  came  of  it,  that  the  Mohocks 
troubled  Shrewsbury  streets  no  more. 

Captain  Benbow,  and  with  him  Joe  Punchard,  stayed 
but  a  few  days  in  the  town.  They  had  come  on  a  flying 
visit  in  an  interval  of  the  war  against  the  French  on  the 
high  seas,  and  very  proud  we  were  that  the  captain,  one 
of  ourselves,  was  winning  himself  a  name  for  prowess 
and  gallantry  in  his  country's  service.  Before  he  de- 
parted, however,  I  got  from  Joe  a  relation  of  what  had 
befallen  him  since  the  night  he  stole  away.  He  arrived 
in  Bristowe  footsore  and  ragged,  and  there  came  nigh 
to  starving  before  he  found  employment.  One  shipmas- 
ter swore  his  hair  was  too  red :  it  would  serve  for  a  bea- 
con to  French  privateers ;  another,  that  he  was  too  bandy : 
his  legs  would  never  grip  the  rigging  if  he  essayed  to  go 
aloft.  But  at  length  he  obtained  a  berth  on  a  tobacco 
ship  trading  to  Virginia,  and  suffered  great  torture  both 
from  the  sea  and  from  the  harsh  and  brutal  ship's  officers. 
He  made  other  voyages,  to  the  Guinea  coast,  the  Indies, 
and  elsewhere,  and  one  fine  day,  being  paid  off  at  South- 


46  HUMPHREY   BOLD- 

ampton,  he  chanced  to  hear  that  Captain  Benbow  was 
in  port,  and  making  himself  known  to  that  officer  as  a 
fellow  townsman,  he  was  taken  by  him  to  be  his  servant, 
and  had  never  left  him  since. 

"And  have  you  pickled  any  pirates'  heads?"  I  asked, 
remembering  the  story,  and  bethinking  me  of  the  silver- 
mounted  cup  possessed  by  Mr.  Ridley,  the  captain's 
brother-in-law,  which  was  said  to  have  once  covered  the 
head  of  a  sallee  rover. 

"Pickled  fiddlesticks !"  says  Joe.  "Dunnat  believe  every 
mariner's  tale  you  hear,  Master  Humphrey." 

And  then  he  proceeded  to  tell  me  a  fearful  and  won- 
derful tale  of  a  sea-serpent,  and  was  mightily  offended 
when  I  said  it  was  all  my  eye. 

Joe  went  away  with  his  captain  after  a  few  days,  and 
I  own  I  envied  him,  and  for  the  first  time  felt  a  secret 
discontent  in  the  prospect  of  a  life  among  pigs  and  poul- 
try, a  feeling  which  was  heightened  when  Dick  Cludde 
soon  afterwards  departed  with  a  commission  from  His 
Majesty.  Dick  was  a  lubber  and,  I  believed  then,  though 
I  had  afterwards  proof  to  the  contrary,  a  coward;  and 
matching  myself  against  him  I  knew  I  would  do  the 
king's  navy  more  credit  than  he.  But  I  kept  my  thought 
to  myself — and  next  day  made  a  sad  bungle,  I  remember, 
of  my  construe  of  Thucydides'  account  of  the  sea-fight 
at  Salamis. 

So  months  passed  away.  I  saw  with  grave  concern 
that  my  father  was  ailing  more  and  more.  The  attacks 
of  his  terrible  disease  came  more  frequently,  and  Mr. 
Pinhorn  owned  that  he  could  do  him  no  good.  He  bore 
his  pain  with  wonderful  fortitude,  never  suffering  a  com- 
plaint to  pass  his  lips.  Many  a  time  in  after  years  I  re- 
called his  noble  courage,  which  helped  me  to  bear  the 
lesser  sufferings  which  fell  to  my  lot.  He  seemed  to 


I    LOSE    MY   BEST   FRIEND  47 

know  that  his  end  was  approaching,  and  one  day  called 
me  to  his  private  room  and  talked  to  me  with  a  kindness 
that  brought  a  lump  into  my  throat.  Much  of  what  he 
said  is  too  sacred  to  be  set  down  here ;  I  can  truthfully 
say  that  his  assurance  of  having  made  ample  provision 
for  me  seemed  of  little  moment  beside  his  earnest  loving 
counsel,  which  made  the  deeper  impression  because  he 
had  so  rarely  spoken  in  that  strain. 

The  end  came  suddenly,  and  with  a  shock  that  stunned 
me,  for  all  I  was  so  well  prepared  for  it.  A  few  brief  mo- 
ments of  dreadful  agony,  and  the  good  man  who  had 
been  more  than  a  father  to  me  was  no  more.  Never  once 
during  his  long  illness  had  his  sister  Lady  Cludde  visited 
him;  neither  she  nor  her  husband  accompanied  his  re- 
mains to  the  grave:  and  when  we  had  left  him  in  the 
churchyard  of  St.  Mary  and  returned  to  the  house,  I  was 
roused  for  a  little  from  my  stupor  by  the  sight  of  Sir 
Richard  among  those  assembled  to  hear  Mr.  Vetch  read 
the  will.  A  great  wave  of  anger  surged  within  me  when 
I  saw  him  sitting  in  my  father's  chair,  his  fat  hands 
folded  upon  his  paunch,  and  his  bleared  eyes  rolling  a 
quizzing  glance  round  upon  the  little  company.  So  en- 
raged  was  I  that  I  took  little  heed  of  Mr.  Vetch  at  the 
table,  and  heard  nothing  of  what  he  said  as  he  drew  from 
his  pocket  a  long  paper  sealed  and  tied  with  tape.  No 
doubt  I  watched  him  untie  the  knots  and  break  the  seal, 
and  spread  the  document  on  the  table  before  him;  no 
doubt  I  heard  his  cry  of  amazement,  and  saw  Sir  Rich- 
ard and  the  few  friends  of  my  father  who  were  present 
rise  from  their  seats  and  crowd  about  him;  but  I  re- 
mained listless  in  my  place  until  a  shriek  from  Mistress 
Pennyquick  woke  me  to  a  sense  that  something  was 
amiss.  Then  I  heard  Sir  Richard  say,  in  his  loud  blus- 
trous  tones: 


48  HUMPHREY   BOLD 

"Then  my  lady  inherits  ?" 

"Not  so  fast,  not  so  fast,  Sir  Richard,"  said  Mr.  Vetch 
in  a  tone  of  great  perturbation.  "She  is,  it  is  true,  the 
heir-at-law,  but  our  departed  friend  left  his  house,  mes- 
suage, farm  and  all  its  appurtenances  to  his  adopted  son 
Humphrey  Bold,  with  an  annuity  of  fifty  pounds  per  an- 
num to  his  faithful  housekeeper  Rebecca  Pennyquick :  I 
took  down  his  instructions  with  his  own  hand,  and  en- 
grossed the  will  myself.  There  is  some  mistake,  gentle- 
men, something  inexplicable.  I  must  ask  you,  in  all  fair- 
ness, to  postpone  your  judgment  of  the  matter  until  I 
have  made  search  in  my  office.  Never  in  my  forty  years' 
experience  has  so  untoward  a  thing  happened,  and  I  must 
beg  of  you  to  give  me  time  to  solve  the  mystery." 

"I  will  wait  on  you  to-morrow,  Mr.  Attorney,"  says 
Sir  Richard.  "Meanwhile  I  claim  this  property  for  my 
Lady  Cludde." 

And  with  that  he  takes  his  hat  and  stick  and  marches 
from  the  room. 

The  neighbors  followed  him,  giving  me  commiserating 
glances,  one  or  two  of  them  shaking  me  by  the  hand  and 
speaking  words  of  condolence.  Mr.  Vetch  remained  for 
a  time  staring  at  the  paper  before  him ;  then  he  folded  it 
and  came  to  me. 

"Some  devilish  prank,"  he  said  hurriedly.  "Never 
fear,  my  lad ;  all  will  come  right.  I  will  see  you  to-mor- 
row, my  boy." 

And  then  he  too  went,  leaving  me  alone  with  Mistress 
Pennyquick,  who  had  done  nothing  for  some  while  but 
sob  and  rock  herself  to  and  fro  on  her  chair. 

"That  wicked  man!"  she  moaned.  "But  he  will  be 
punished — he  will  be  punished,  Humphrey.  What  does 
the  good  Book  say  about  them  that  despoil  widows  and 
orphans  ?  Oh,  my  poor  master !" 


I   LOSE   MY   BEST   FRIEND  49 

"What  is  it,  Becky?"  I  asked,  with  but  little  curiosity 
for  her  answer. 

"  'Tis  the  doing  of  that  wicked  man  and  his  wife,  I 
know  it  is,"  the  poor  creature  sobbed.  "And  they 
wouldn't  come  near  the  poor  soul  when  he  was  in  his 
agony.  And  now  they  want  to  rob  us — to  rob  you,  my 
poor  boy,  and  me  who  served  him  faithful  these  twenty 
year.  God  will  punish  him !" 

"But  what  have  they  done,  then  ?"  I  asked  again. 

"Done !  Lord  knows  what  they  haven't  done.  I  knew 
summat  would  happen  when  I  saw  Mr.  Vetch  come  to 
your  poor  father  a  while  ago — you  mind,  I  told  you  so. 
Lawyers  are  all  no  good,  that's  my  belief.  Don't  tell  me 
Mr.  Vetch  didn't  know  what  he  was  a-carrying.  He's  in 
league  with  the  wretches,  I  know  he  is,  for  all  his  mazed 
look.  Don't  tell  me  he  didn't  know  the  paper  was  as  white 
as  the  underside  of  a  fleece.  Fleece  is  the  very  word  for 
it:  he's  fleeced  us,  sure  enough,  and  I'll  come  on  the 
parish,  and  you'll  be  a  beggar,  and  they  unnatural 
wretches  will  wallow  in  their  pride,  and — oh!  I  can't 
abear  it,  I  can't  abear  it !" 

And  the  poor  creature  burst  into  a  passion  of  weeping, 
so  that  it  was  some  time  before  I  could  learn  the  cause  of 
her  distress.  It  was  amazing  enough.  When  Mr.  Vetch 
unfolded  the  document  which  he  believed  to  be  my 
father's  will,  the  paper  inside  was  as  clean  as  when  it 
came  from  the  scrivener's.  There  was  not  a  single  mark 
upon  it. 


CHAPTER  VI 

I  TAKE  ARTICLES 

We  were  at  breakfast  next  morning,  Mistress  Penny- 
quick  and  I,  when  Captain  Galsworthy,  after  a  herald  tap 
on  the  door,  walked  into  the  room. 

"What's  this  cock-and-bull  story  that's  running  over 
the  town?"  he  cried  without  circumstance.  Before  I 
could  reply,  Mistress  Pennyquick  began  to  pour  out  her 
tale  of  woe,  roundly  accusing  Sir  Richard  Cludde  and 
Lawyer  Vetch  of  conspiring  to  defraud  me  of  my  rights. 

"I  haven't  slept  a  wink  the  whole  night  through,  sir," 
says  the  poor  soul,  "and  I've  wetted  six — no,  'tis  seven 
handkerchers  till  they're  like  clouts  from  the  wash-tub, 
and  I  can  hardly  see  out  o'  my  eyes,  and — " 

"Stuff  and  nonsense  and  a  fiddlestick  end!"  cries  the 
captain  angrily,  "dry  your  eyes,  woman.  Of  all  God's 
creatures  a  sniveling  woman  is  the  worst.  Vetch  has 
been  wool-gathering:  quandoque  dormitat  Homerus — eh, 
Humphrey? — which  means,  ma'am,  that  you  sometimes 
catch  a  weasel  asleep.  Depend  on't,  he  engrossed  the 
wrong  docket,  and  by  this  time  has  discovered  the  true 
will  in  one  of  his  moldy  boxes.  Gad,  it'll  ruin  him, 
though — if  his  nephew  has  not  done  it  already.  A  family 
lawyer  can't  afford  to  be  caught  napping.  Put  on  your 
cap,  Humphrey:  we'll  go  and  look  into  things  and  hint 
that  we  must  change  our  attorney." 

So  he  and  I  set  off  together.  But,  early  as  it  was,  Sir 
Richard  Cludde  had  been  before  us.  When  we  entered 

So 


I   TAKE   ARTICLES  51 

Mr.  Vetch's  office,  there  was  the  burly  knight  with  his 
hand  on  the  door,  flinging  a  parting  word  at  the  lawyer, 
who  sat  behind  his  desk  with  his  wig  awry,  the  picture  of 
harassment  and  woe.  Sir  Richard  gave  a  curt  nod  to  the 
captain,  but  vouchsafed  me  not  a  glance. 

"You  understand,  Mr.  Attorney  ?"  he  said.  "The  pres- 
ent occupants  will  vacate  the  premises  within  a  week,  and 
you  will  bring  me  the  keys." 

Then  he  strode  away,  banging  the  door  after  him.  The 
captain  whistled. 

"Sits  the  wind — the  whirlwind,  I  might  say — in  that 
quarter?  Where's  the  will,  Vetch?" 

"I  would  give  my  right  hand  to  know,"  said  the  lawyer. 
"There  is  Mr.  Ellery's  box" — he  indicated  a  case  of  black 
tin  with  the  name  John  Ellery  printed  in  white  letters  on 
its  side ;  "  'twas  there  I  laid  it,  with  the  title-deeds  and 
other  documents.  I  searched  it  through  yesterday.  I 
spent  half  the  night  in  ransacking  every  other  box  in  the 
room,  all  to  no  purpose." 

"You  did  not  lay  it  aside  when  you  had  drawn  it  and 
afterwards  engross  a  blank  paper  like  folded,  think  you  ?" 

"Sir,  'tis  impossible.  I  drew  the  will  at  a  sitting:  it 
was  not  a  long  one;  folded,  engrossed,  and  tied  it  with 
my  own  hands.  Nothing  short  of  witchcraft  could  undo 
my  handiwork." 

"Or  your  nephew,"  snapped  the  captain.  "He  is  the 
boon  fellow  of  young  Cludde ;  'tis  the  Cluddes  who  gain 
by  the  disappearance,  and  mightily  glad  they  will  be  of 
the  property  if  all  is  true  that's  said  of  Sir  Richard's  af- 
fairs. Where's  your  nephew,  Vetch?" 

"At  home  and  abed,  Captain,  suffering  from  a  catarrh. 
I  did  ask  him  if  he  knew  aught  of  the  matter,  and  he 
laughed  and  denied  it,  reminding  me  that  I  had  never 
trusted  him  with  the  keys.  He  is  wild,  I  own,  sir ;  heady 


52  HUMPHREY   BOLD 

and  self-willed,  a  sore  trial  to  me  sometimes;  but  he  is 
of  my  name,  and  that  name  is  honorable  in  Shrews- 
bury." 

"Tut,  man,  nobody  but  a  fool  would  suspect  you  of 
evil-dealing,  and  if  your  nephew  had  a  hand  in  this  it 
might  be  nought  but  a  boyish  prank,  though  a  deuced  in- 
decent one.  But  now  to  the  practical  question :  in  the  ab- 
sence of  the  will,  how  does  Humphrey  stand  ?" 

I  shall  never  forget  the  poor  lawyer's  look  of  misery 
when  this  question  was  put  to  him,  sharp  as  a  pistol-shot. 
He  bent  his  quill  in  his  hand  till  it  cracked ;  he  fidgeted 
on  his  stool;  he  began  a  sentence  three  times  and  left  it 
unfinished. 

"In  a  word,"  says  the  captain,  who  was  ever  for  direct- 
ness, "he  is  a  pauper  ?" 

The  lawyer  bowed  Ihis  head,  but  said  never  a  word. 
Captain  Galsworthy  began  to  drum  on  the  table  with  his 
fingers,  as  his  manner  was  when  perturbed.  I  sat  silent, 
still  too  much  under  the  shadow  of  my  great  loss  to  com- 
prehend the  full  bearing  of  his  words. 

"Did  you  put  it  to  Cludde  ?"  he  asked  suddenly. 

"I  did,  sir,  with  all  the  force  of  which  I  was  capable. 
I  begged  him  to  acquiesce  in  the  known  wishes  of  our 
friend,  to  accept  the  draft  of  the  bill, — here  it  is — taken 
down  by  myself  from  his  lips.  Sir  Richard  looked  at  it, 
pished  and  pshawed,  said  he  had  never  held  John  Ellery's 
wits  in  much  account,  and  declared  that  my  instructions 
were  a  clear  proof  of  his  feeble-mindedness.  When  I  pro- 
tested that  I  had  never  known  a  man  with  a  clearer  head 
or  of  sounder  sense  he  bellowed  at  me :  what,  did  I  think 
it  sound  sense  to  will  away  to  a  stranger  property  that 
had  been  in  the  family  for  generations  ?  'No  stranger,'  I 
said,  'indeed,  by  marriage  a  kinsman  of  your  own,  Sir 
Richard.'  'No  kinsman  of  mine/  he  said,  'nor  of  my 


I    TAKE   ARTICLES  53 

lady's  neither.  When  I  married  Susan  Ellery  I  did  not 
wed  her  brother,  nor  any  beggar's  brat' — those  were  his 
words,  sir — 'any  beggar's  brat  he  was  fool  enough  to 
keep  off  the  parish.  If  you  had  the  will  I'd  dispute  it 
against  all  the  attorneys  in  England.'  He  is  a  hard  man, 
Captain.  He  demands  possession  in  a  week." 

"And  your  draft  has  no  value  in  law  ?" 

"Not  a  whit,  I  am  sorry  to  say." 

"Then  devil  take  the  law,"  the  captain  snapped  out. 
"Hang  me,  I'll  go  myself  and  see  Cludde  and  tell  him 
what  I  think  of  him." 

"Not  for  me,  Captain,"  said  I,  feeling  my  face  burn. 
"I'll  take  nothing  from  Sir  Richard  Cludde,  beggar's 
brat  as  I  am." 

"You  won't  be  a  fool,  Humphrey,"  said  the  captain. 
"Half  a  loaf  is  better  than  no  bread,  and  if  I  don't  wring 
an  allowance  out  of  the  rogue,  I'm  a  Dutchman." 

The  captain  would  have  his  way,  in  spite  of  my  protes- 
tation. But  he  returned  from  his  visit  to  Cludde  Court 
in  a  towering  passion.  The  knight  refused  point-blank 
to  acknowledge  any  claim  upon  him,  and  swore  that  if 
Mistress  Pennyquick  and  I  were  not  out  of  the  house  by 
the  day  he  named,  he  would  come  with  bailiffs  and  con- 
stables and  fling  us  out  neck  and  crop. 

Captain  Galsworthy  was  more  concerned  than  I  was  at 
the  failure  of  his  well-meant  intervention.  In  my  igno- 
rance of  the  world,  and  how  hardly  it  uses  those  who 
have  nothing,  I  did  not  foresee,  as  my  wise  old  friend 
did,  the  arduous  course  I  was  to  follow,  nor  the  many 
buffets  in  store  for  me,  but  thought,  like  many  lads  be- 
fore and  since,  that  with  the  equipment  of  health  and 
strength  I  could  ride  a  tilt  against  circumstance.  Youth 
is  green  and  unknowing,  as  Mr.  Dryden  hath  it,  and 
sure;  'tis  a  mercy. 


54  HUMPHREY   BOLD 

Before  the  day  was  out,  we  had  a  piece  of  news  that 
confirmed  the  captain's  suggestion  as  to  the  disappear- 
ance of  the  will.  Cyrus  Vetch  had  vanished,  together 
with  the  contents  of  his  uncle's  cash-box.  When  Mr. 
Vetch  went  home  to  his  dinner,  he  found  the  cash-box 
broken  open,  and  Cyrus  gone.  I  could  not  doubt  now 
that  'twas  my  old  enemy  had  wreaked  on  me  the  ven- 
geance that  had  smouldered  in  his  breast  ever  since  Joe 
Punchard  sent  him  down  Wyle  Cop  in  the  barrel  and 
was  fanned  into  a  flame  by  my  action  on  the  night  of 
the  adventure  in  Raven  Street.  Mistress  Pennyquick 
was  firm  in  her  belief  that  the  Cluddes  were  party  to  the 
crime,  but  that  I  could  not  credit  then,  and  never  will. 

Mr.  Vetch  himself  came  to  see  me  the  next  day.  The 
poor  old  man  was  quite  broken  down.  He  humbly  begged 
my  forgiveness  for  the  trouble  he  had  brought  upon  me, 
for  so  he  chose  to  regard  it ;  and  he  confessed  to  me,  what 
I  am  sure  he  never  revealed  to  a  living  soul  beside,  that 
Cyrus  had  been  for  years  a  thorn  in  his  flesh.  He  was 
a  spendthrift  and  a  gambler,  and  had  bled  his  uncle  many 
a  time  to  discharge  what  he  called  his  debts  of  honor. 
This  drain  upon  the  lawyer,  together  with  losses  he  had 
sustained  in  the  failure  of  Chamberlain's  Land  Bank 
scheme — that  monstrous  attempt  of  the  Tories  to  set  up 
a  rival  to  the  Bank  of  England — had  brought  him  to  the 
jverge  of  ruin,  and  with  tears  in  his  eyes  ihe  expressed  to 
me  his  fear  that  the  matter  of  my  father's  will  would 
bring  him  into  such  ill  repute  that  the  Shrewsbury  folk 
would  no  longer  trust  him  and  would  give  their  business 
into  other  hands. 

This  set  me  a-thinking,  and  during  the  week  I  was  al- 
lowed to  remain  in  the  old  farm-house  I  turned  over  in 
my  mind  a  plan  which,  I  own,  mightily  pleased  me.  It 
was  clear  that  I  must  do  something  for  myself.  I  had 


I   TAKE   ARTICLES  55 

never  had  any  great  liking  for  farming  work,  and  now 
that  the  position  of  a  yeoman  on  my  own  land  was  denied 
me  I  was  not  inclined  to  accept  service  on  the  land  of  an- 
other. Mr.  Lloyd,  the  master  of  the  school,  when  I  went 
to  take  leave  of  him,  was  kind  enough  to  say  that  he 
would  use  his  interest  to  obtain  for  me  a  servitorship  at 
Oxford  or  a  sizarship  at  Cambridge,  which  would  put  me 
in  the  way  of  making  a  livelihood  as  a  tutor  or  perhaps 
as  a  parson.  But  I  was  not  in  the  mind  to  be  any  more 
subsistent  on  charity,  even  of  this  modified  sort,  nor  had 
I  indeed  any  hope  of  achieving  excellence  in  the  classical 
tongues,  so  I  thanked  him,  but  declined  his  offer.  The 
idea  that  had  entered  my  noddle  was  that  I  might  join 
Mr.  Vetch,  and  do  something  in  the  practice  of  law  to 
make  amends  for  the  ill-fortune  which,  unwittingly  and 
indirectly,  I  had  been  the  means  of  bringing  upon  him. 
When  I  had  made  up  my  mind,  I  mooted  the  project  to 
Captain  Galsworthy,  who  laughed  at  it  as  quixotic,  but 
confessed  that  he  saw  no  better  course  open  to  me. 

"I  had  liever  you  took  up  a  more  active  trade — one  in 
which  you  could  put  to  use  the  sciences  you  have  learned 
of  me,"  said  the  old  warrior.  "But  that  would  take  you 
from  Shrewsbury,  to  be  sure,  and  I  should  miss  our  little 
bouts,  Humphrey  boy.  And  when  you  come  to  think  of 
it,  a  man  needn't  be  the  worse  lawyer  for  a  passable  dex- 
terity with  the  small  sword." 

Mr.  Vetch  was  quite  overcome  when  I  set  my  proposal 
before  him.  He  embraced  it  eagerly,  drew  out  my  articles 
at  once,  and  swore  that  I  would  be  his  salvation.  And 
as  I  must  needs  have  somewhere  to  live,  he  insisted  on 
my  taking  up  my  abode  with  him ;  he  had  a  roomy  house, 
he  said,  and  I  need  not  occupy  Cyrus'  chamber  unless  I 
pleased. 

"But  what  about  poor  old  Becky?"  I  said.    "She  is  re- 


56  HUMPHREY   BOLD 

ally  harder  hit  by  this  unlucky  affair  than  I,  and  't  would 
break  her  heart  to  go  to  the  poor-house." 

"Let  her  come,  too,"  said  Mr.  Vetch.  "My  house- 
keeper is  leaving  me ;  the  fates  are  conspiring  in  our  fa- 
vor, you  see.  Let  her  come  and  mother  us  both,  and 
I  will  give  her  twenty  pounds  a  year." 

I  had  as  yet  broken  nothing  of  my  designs  to  Mistress 
Pennyquick,  foreseeing  trouble  in  that  quarter.  It  was 
pitiful  to  see  her,  who  had  been  such  a  bustling  housewife, 
sitting  the  greater  part  of  the  day  with  "her  hands  in  her 
lap,  or  dabbing  the  tears  from  her  eyes,  and  to  hear  her 
melancholy  plaints,  which  grew  the  more  frequent  as  the 
time  drew  nearer  for  leaving  the  old  house.  After  con- 
cluding my  arrangement  with  Mr.  Vetch  I  went  back  to 
the  farm-house,  flung  my  cap  into  a  chair,  and,  sitting 
across  the  corner  of  the  table,  said : 

"Only  two  days  more,  Becky." 

"And  what  will  become  of  us  I  don't  know,"  says  the 
old  woman.  "  Tis  the  poor-house  for  me,  and  water 
gruel,  and  I've  had  my  rasher  regular  for  forty  year. 
And  as  for  you,  my  poor  lamb,  never  did  I  think  I'd  live 
to  see  you  put  on  an  apron,  and  say  'What  d'ye  lack, 
Madam?'  to  stuck-up  folks  as'll  look  on  ye  as  so  much 
dirt." 

"What's  this  talk  of  aprons  ?"  says  I,  laughing. 

"How  can  ye  laugh?"  she  says,  the  tears  rolling  down 
her  cheeks.  "Beggars  can't  be  choosers,  and  ye'll  have 
to  ask  Mr.  Huggins  to  have  pity  on  ye  and  take  ye  into 
his  shop,  and  ye'll  tie  up  sugar  and  coffee  for  Susan 
Cludde  belike,  and — oh,  deary  me !" 

"Nonsense,  Becky,"  says  I.  "I  shan't  have  that  pleas- 
ure. I'm  going  to  join  Mr.  Vetch." 

"WThat!"  she  shrieks. 

"  'Tis  true.    Mr.  Vetch  has  given  me  my  articles,  and 


I   TAKE   ARTICLES  57 

instead  of  tying  up  coffee  and  sugar  I  shall  tie  deeds  and 
conveyances  and  become  a  most  respectable  lawyer." 

"Oh !  'twill  kill  me !"  she  moans.  "Of  all  the  dreadful 
news  I  ever  heard!  And  wi'  Lawyer  Vetch,  too;  the 
man  as  devours  widows'  houses  and  makes  away  with 
good  men's  wills !  I  wish  I  were  in  my  grave,  I  do !" 

"Wouldn't  you  rather  be  with  me,  Becky?"  I  said, 
smiling  at  her. 

"  'Tis  cruel  to  talk  so,"  she  cried,  sobbing.  "How  can 
I  be  with  'ee  ?  What  you  get  from  Lawyer  Vetch  won't 
keep  two — if  you  get  anything  at  all.  They  say  his 
nephew  has  ruined  him — the  wretch !  Indeed,  if  you  ask 
me,  I  say  you'll  get  more  from  Mr.  Huggins  than  from 
the  lawyer.  You'll  have  enough  to  do  to  keep  yourself, 
without  being  saddled  with  a  poor,  forlorn  oldi  widow 
woman." 

"But  won't  you  come?  I  am  going  to  live  with  Mr. 
Vetch." 

"Live  with  the  devil !"  she  screamed,  lifting  her  hands 
with  a  gesture  of  utter  despair.  "It  is  downright  wicked 
of  you,  Humphrey — and  your  poor  father  not  a  week 
in  the  grave.  Sure  the  end  of  the  world  be  coming,  when 
the  leopard  and  the  kid  shall  lie  down  together,  and  the 
lion  shall  eat  straw  like  the  ox." 

"And  donkeys  won't  bray,  I  suppose,"  says  I.  "There, 
I  don't  mean  you,  Becky,  though  you  are  an  old  goose. 
Mr.  Vetch  wants  a  housekeeper,  and  you  are  to  come 
with  me  and  mother  us  both,  he  says,  and  he'll  give  you 
twenty  pounds  a  year." 

The  good  creature's  look  sent  me  into  a  fit  of  laughter. 
She  stared  solemnly  at  me  for  a  while  through  her  tears, 
saying  never  a  word.  Then  the  drooping  corners  of  her 
mouth  lifted;  she  folded  her  hands  across  Jier  plump 
person  and  said : 


58  HUMPHREY   BOLD 

"Your  father  only  gave 'me  eighteen,  Humphrey:  are 
you  sure  'twas  twenty  the  lawyer  said?" 

"Quite  sure.  The  devil  isn't  as  black  as  he's  painted, 
eh  Becky?" 

"Ah !  you  never  know  a  man  till  you've  lived  with  him. 
Pennyquick  was — but  there,  he's  gone,  poor  soul,  as  we 
all  must,  and  'tis  ill  work  saying  anything  against  one  as 
can't  answer  ye  back:  not  that  Pennyquick  was  ever 
much  of  a  hand  at  that,  poor  soul !" 

I  heard  no  more  vilification  of  Mr.  Vetch.  Becky  re- 
covered her  old  activity  with  surprising  ease,  and  went 
about  the  house  collecting  such  personal  belongings  of 
her  own  and  mine  as  the  lawyer  told  us  we  might  remove 
without  question.  He  himself  came  to  the  house  on  our 
last  day,  and  made  an  inventory  of  the  articles  we  re- 
moved, and  having  seen  these  safely  bestowed  in  a  pan- 
nier on  the  back  of  Ben  Ivimey's  son,  who  came  to  carry 
them  away,  we  shut  the  doors  of  the  old  place,  Mr.  Vetch 
pocketed  the  keys,  and  we  set  off  for  the  town.  Mistress 
Pennyquick  shed  a  plentitude  of  tears,  and  I  had  a  mon- 
strous lump  in  my  throat  that  threatened  to  choke  me  if 
I  tried  to  speak.  With  a  discretion  that  raised  him  might- 
ily in  Becky's  esteem,  Mr.  Vetch  fell  behind,  leaving  us 
two  together ;  and  so  with  full  hearts  we  took  the  road, 
going  into  our  new  life  hand  in  hand. 


CHAPTER  VII 

A  CROWN-PIECE 

This  turn  in  our  affairs  was  a  nine  days'  wonder  in 
Shrewsbury.  And  whether  it  was  that  some  chord  of 
sympathy  was  touched  in  our  townsfolk,  or  that  Mr. 
Vetch  worsted  his  only  rival,  Mr.  Moggridge,  in  a  case 
of  breach  of  covenant  that  was  tried  at  the  next  assizes, 
I  know  not ;  but  certain  it  is  that  my  friend's  business  took 
a  leap  upward  from  that  very  time.  Clients  flocked  to 
him ;  he  soon  had  to  employ  an  additional  clerk ;  and  Mis- 
tress Pennyquick,  who  was  twice  as  tyrannical  as  before 
on  the  strength  of  her  extra  two  pounds  a  year,  declared 
privately  to  me  one  day  that  she  wished  for  nothing  now 
but  that  she  might  live  to  see  me  a  partner  with  Mr. 
Vetch,  in  a  house  of  my  own,  with  a  sensible  wife  and  five 
pretty  children. 

But  I  have  come  to  believe  that  as  an  Ethiopian  can  not 
change  his  skin,  nor  a  leopard  his  spots,  so  a  man  can  not 
alter  the  bent  of  mind  he  was  born  with,  nor  follow  any 
course  with  success  but  the  one  to  which  his  nature  calls. 
I  entered  Mr.  Vetch's  office  with  the  best  will  in  the  world 
to  please  him,  and  to  master  the  principles  of  legal  prac- 
tice and  procedure ;  but  I  found  it  hard  to  reconcile  myself 
to  the  atmosphere  of  a  stuffy  room  filled  with,'  musty 
tomes,  and  to  the  unvarying  round  of  desk  work — copy- 
ing from  morning  to  night  agreements,  deeds  and  other 
documents  bristling  with  a  jargon  unintelligible  to  me. 

59 


60  HUMPHREY   BOLD 

I  soon  tired  of  freehold  and  copyhold  tenure,  of  manorial 
rights  and  customs,  and  the  hundred  and  one  legal  fic- 
tions connected  with  actions  at  law  and  bills  in  chancery 
that  constitute  the  routine  of  an  attorney's  profession. 
I  yearned  to  breathe  an  ampler  air ;  and  when  one  day  I 
saw  Dick  Cludde,  returned  home  on  leave,  strutting  past 
with  Mytton  and  other  boon  .companions,  in  all  the  brav- 
ery of  cocked  hat,  laced  coat  and  buckled  shoes,  I  flung 
down  my  pen  and  donned  my  cap,  and  set  off,  with  bitter 
rage  and  envy  in  my  heart,  to  pour  out  my  soul  to  my 
constant  friend,  Captain  Galsworthy. 

"Halt !"  cried  the  captain,  when  I  was  in  the  midst  of 
a  tirade.  "We'll  have  a  bout." 

And  forthwith  we  donned  the  gloves,  and  for  a  full 
quarter  of  an  hour  we  sparred,  he  with  the  cool  mastery 
that  never  deserted  him,  I  with  a  blind  rage  and  fury 
which  had  its  natural  end.  In  the  third  round  I  aimed 
a  blow  at  my  adversary's  neck  with  my  right  hand,  but 
failing  in  my  reach,  he  returned  it  full  swing  with  his 
left,  and  dealt  me  such  a  staggerer  on  my  cheek-bone 
that  down  I  went  like  a  ninepin  and  measured  my  length 
on  the  floor.  "Capital!"  says  the  captain,  sitting  down 
(the  old  fellow  was  purring  not  a  little).  "Capital!  That 
was  a  settler,  eh,  my  boy  ?  Now  you  can  get  up  and  talk 
sense." 

I  got  up,  rubbing  my  cheek,  and  grinning  a  rueful 
smile,  as  the  captain  told  me.  We  remained  long  in  talk ; 
never  had  my  old  friend  been  wiser  or  more  kindly.  He 
listened  to  me  with  patience  as  I  told  him — quietly,  for 
he  had  fairly  knocked  my  rage  out  of  me — how  desper- 
ately sick  I  was  of  my  occupation,  and  how  I  longed  to 
stretch  my  limbs  and  do  something. 

"I  knew  it,  my  boy,"  he  said.  "I  had  seen  it  coming. 
I  understand  it.  Haven't  I  been  through  it  myself?  I 


A  CROWN-PIECE  61 

was  bred  for  commerce:  you  might  as  well  have  har- 
nessed a  pig.  One  day — I  was  younger  than  you — I  took 
French  leave  and  a  crown-piece  and  trudged  to  London. 
I  enlisted  in  old  Noll's  army,  shipped  to  Flanders  and 
served  under  Lockhart — he  was  a  man,  sir ! — at  the  siege 
of  Cambrai,  deserted  when  the  campaign  was  at  an  end, 
and  roamed  over  half  Europe;  took  service  with  the 
Emperor ;  fought  with  the  Swedes  against  the  Poles,  and 
the  Poles  against  the  Swedes;  fell  in  with  Patrick  Gor- 
don, and  was  beguiled  by  him  to  Muscovy;  and  should 
have  been  with  the  Czar  Peter  at  this  day  if  he  hadn't 
called  me  a  fool  when  he  was  sober ;  we  paid  no  heed  to 
what  he  called  us  when  he  was  drunk.  Ah !  I  see  your 
eyes  glistening,  you  young  dog.  You  were  never  born 
to  be  tied  up  with  red  tape." 

This  brief  account  of  his  life,  and  he  never  told  me 
more,  had  indeed  set  my  heart  leaping.  What  would  I 
not  give,  I  thought,  to  see  what  he  had  seen,  and  do  what 
he  had  done ! 

"But  now  to  be  practical,"  said  the  captain.  "You 
want  to  go :  very  well,  go.  But  you  won't  sneak  off  like 
Cyrus  Vetch ;  you  can't  go  with  a  commission  like  young 
Cludde.  How  much  money  have  you  got  ?" 

"A  few  guineas  I  have  saved." 

"Well,  keep  them;  you  may  be  in  a  tight  place  some 
day,  and  find  'em  handy.  You  have  a  hankering  for  the 
sea,  you  say.  Then  tramp  to  Bristowe,  as  your  champion 
Joe  Punchard  did,  and  hitch  on  to  John  Benbow  if  you 
can  find  him.  He'll  work  you  hard,  if  all  that's  said  about 
him  is  true;  but  he'll  either  make  you  or  break  you. 
That's  my  advice." 

Advice  that  jumps  with  one's  own  inclinations  hath 
ever  a  comfortable  appearance  of  soundness.  I  told  the 
captain  that  he  had  hit  on  the  very  scheme  I  had  proposed 


62  HUMPHREY   BOLD 

to  myself,  adding,  however,  that  I  had  thought  to  go 
a-horseback. 

"A-horseback !"  he  cried.  "What  want  you  with  a 
horse  ?  You  don't  own  a  horse,  and  to  hire  one  you  would 
expend  all  your  guineas  and  have  nothing  to  feed  either 
him  or  yourself.  No,  go  on  your  shanks ;  there's  a  world 
of  knowledge  to  be  gained  by  footing  it  on  the  open  road." 

And  so  we  settled  that  Captain  Galsworthy  should  him- 
self come  to  our  house  on  Pride  Hill  and  break  the  news 
to  my  good  friends  there.  They  were  both  downcast 
when  they  heard  it,  Mr.  Vetch  more  than  Mistress  Penny- 
quick,  which  somewhat  surprised  me.  He  plied  me  with 
innumerable  reasons  for  remaining  with  him,  spoke  of 
the  long  miles  I  should  have  to  trudge  before  I  reached 
the  port,  described  the  perils  of  the  road,  even  foresaw 
that  I  should  be  arrested  as  a  vagrant  and  clapped  into 
jail!  He  conjured  up  dismal  pictures  of  the  seafaring 
life,  and  waxed  quite  eloquent  in  drawing  a  contrast  be- 
tween the  bare  windswept  deck  and  the  cosy  fireside,  the 
dangers  from  storm  and  pirates  and  the  serenity  of  our 
quiet  town.  And  then  the  captain  broke  in  upon  his 
speech  with  a  great  laugh. 

"Gad,  Mr.  Attorney,  you  have  o'ershot  your  bolt,"  he 
cried.  "Mark  you  the  sparkle  in  the  boy's  eyes  and  the 
catch  in  his  breath?  The  bogies  you  raise  are  beacons  to 
him.  D'you  think  to  frighten  him  as  you  would  a  girl  ? 
Spare  your  breath,  man,  to  cool  your  porridge ;  what  fel- 
low of  spirit  would  be  deterred  from  a  life  of  action  by 
your  vision  of  slippers  and  a  basin  of  gruel  ?" 

And  indeed  the  lawyer's  eloquence  fell  on  deaf  ears ; 
or  rather,  as  the  captain  said,  all  his  reasons  did  but  whet 
my  eagerness  until  I  fairly  tingled  with  the  imagined  de- 
light of  matching  myself  against  the  hostility  of  the  ele- 
ments and  man.  And  so  he  at  last  desisted,  and  gave  a 


A   CROWN-PIECE  63 

grudging  compliance  to  my  purpose ;  and  Mistress  Penny- 
quick  concluded  the  discussion  with  a  shot  at  Captain 
Galsworthy. 

"This  is  all  along  o'  you,  Captain,"  she  cried.  "This  is 
what  comes  of  teaching  little  boys  to  fight.  I  knew  years 
ago  't'ud  have  a  bad  end,  and  I  told  his  poor  father  so, 
and  I'm  sure  I  hope  you  are  satisfied." 

"Abundantly,  ma'am,"  says  the  captain,  bobbing  her  a 
bow.  "My  pupil  does  me  credit,  and  will  do  me  more." 

My  preparations  were  soon  made;  indeed,  I  had  noth- 
ing to  prepare  save  a  few  garments,  which  poor  Becky 
blessed  with  a  copious  baptism  of  tears.  Then,  one  fine 
spring  morning,  when  the  buds  on  tree  and  hedge  were 
bursting  and  the  air  was  full  of  song,  I  set  off  on  my 
long  journey.  Captain  Galsworthy  accompanied  me  for 
a  few  miles  on  the  road — across  English  Bridge,  past  our 
old  farm-house  (now  held  by  a  tenant  of  Sir  Richard 
Cludde's),  through  the  beautiful  vale  of  Severn,  till  at 
Cressage  my  way  led  me  southward  from  the  river. 
Then  he  held  me  fast  by  the  hand  and  looked  me  in  the 
face. 

"God  bless  you,  Humphrey,"  he  said.  "Live  clean,  and 
— and — hit  straight  from  the  shoulder,  my  boy." 

And  then  he  turned  away — not  before  I  had  seen  a 
film  of  moisture  gather  in  his  eyes. 

Now  I  was  fairly  started  on  my  travels — in  a  cus- 
tomary suit  of  plain  gray  homespun,  with  worsted  hose, 
knit  for  me  by  Mistress  Pennyquick,  a  pair  of  stout 
shoes,  a  round  hat,  and  a  stout  staff  in  my  hand.  I  car- 
ried a  few  extra  garments  in  a  knapsack  strapped  to  my 
back,  and  my  few  guineas  were  safely  stowed  in  a  wallet 
beneath  my  belt. 

For  a  mile  or  two  after  leaving  the  captain  I  was  in  as 
black  a  fit  of  the  dumps  as  ever  beset  a  man.  I  was  but 


64  HUMPHREY   BOLD 

half-way  through  my  eighteenth  year,  and  had  as  yet 
never  gone  more  than  ten  miles  from  my  native  town,  nor 
slept  a  night  away  from  home.  'Tis  true,  no  close  ties 
of  blood  now  bound  me  to  Shrewsbury,  but  it  held  dear 
memories  and  kind  friends,  and  I  felt  a  natural  'heart- 
sickness  at  thus  cutting  myself  adrift  from  all  and  ranging 
forth  alone  into  the  great  unknown  world.  But  healthy 
youth  can  not  long  lie  under  such  an  oppression ;  my  low 
spirits  lasted  just  so  long  as  it  took  me  to  gain  the  crest 
of  the  hill  towards  Harley,  and  when  I  had  turned  and 
taken  a  parting  look  behind — at  the  fields  in  their  fresh 
green,  and  the  spires  of  Shrewsbury  beyond,  and  the 
Severn  winding  like  a  bright  ribbon  through  the  vale — 
when  I  had  fed  my  eyes  on  this  charming  scene,  and 
breathed  a  prayer  that  in  good  time  I  should  behold  it 
again,  I  set  my  face  once  more  to  the  south,  and  stepped 
briskly  down  the  slope  that  hid  my  home  from  sight  and 
stood  as  the  dividing  line  between  my  past  and  my  fu- 
ture. And  as  I  trudged  on  between  the  bright  hedge- 
rows, and  heard  the  song  of  birds  all  about  me,  and  felt 
the  warm  sunbeams  on  my  face,  I  began  to  exult  in  my 
youth  and  strength,  and  the  words  of  a  song  from  one 
of  my  father's  play  books  came  to  my  mind,  and  I 
hummed  them  aloud — 

A  merry  heart  goes  all  the  day, 
A  sad  tires  in  a  mile  a. 

About  half  a  mile  out  of  Harley,  the  road  makes  a 
long  ascent  to  the  market  town  of  Much  Wenlock.  I  was 
pretty  warm  by  the  time  I  arrived  there,  and  mighty  hun- 
gry, so  I  repaired  to  the  inn  where  my  father  was  wont 
to  eat  on  market  days,  and  where  I  had  several  times 
been  with  him,  and  ordered  a  dinner  of  bread  and  cheese 


rA  CROWN-PIECE  65 

and  ale.  The  innkeeper,  Mr.  Appleby,  was  not  a  little 
surprised  to  see  me,  and  was  fairly  staggered  when  I 
told  him  I  was  off  to  Bristowe  to  seek  my  fortune.  To 
the  stay-at-home  folk  of  the  country-side  Bristowe  was 
as  distant  as  Brazil,  and  he  would  have  heard  that  I  was 
starting  for  the  ends  of  the  earth  with  but  little  more 
amazement. 

"Betsy,"  he  called  through  the  half-open  door  into  the 
little  parlor  behind,  "here  be  young  Master  Bold  a  set- 
ting off  to  Bristowe." 

"Bless  us !"  cried  his  wife,  bustling  out,  and  bringing 
with  her  an  odor  of  roast  meat  that  somewhat  slacked 
my  appetite  for  bread  and  cheese.  "Deary  me!  You 
doesn't  say  so  now !  Well,  to  be  sure !  'Tis  a  fearsome 
long  way,  by  all  accounts;  but  there,  you  be  growed  a 
great  big  chap,  Master  Bold,  and  I'm  sure  I  wish  'ee  good 
luck.  Come  away  in,  sir,  dinner's  just  off  the  jack,  and 
me  and  my  man  'ud  be  main  proud  if  you'd  eat  a  morsel 
with  us  afore  ye  goes." 

I  was  nothing  loath,  and  found  the  roast  of  mutton  a 
deal  more  to  my  liking  than  the  frugal  fare  I  had  ordered. 
I  was  still  but  half-way  through  my  second  helping  when 
there  came  through  the  door  a  great  clatter  of  hoofs  from 
the  street,  and  then  a  loud  voice  crying  "Appleby !  here, 
sirrah,  stir  your  stumps !"  with  an  oath  or  two  by  way  of 
seasoning.  My  host  got  up  in  a  hurry  and  ran  to  the 
outer  door,  and  I  laid  down  my  knife  and  fork,  and  I 
think  my  cheeks  must  have  gone  a  trifle  pale,  for  Mis- 
tress Appleby  asked  me  anxiously  what  was  amiss.  I 
hastened  to  reassure  her,  but  begged  'her  to  close  the 
door  into  the  inn-place  which  her  husband  had  left  open. 
She  wonderingly  complied,  but  was  enlightened  a  mo- 
ment afterwards,  when  she  saw  Dick  Cludde  swagger  in, 


66  HUMPHREY   BOLD 

followed  by  the  two  naval  captains  whom  his  lady  mother 
had  been  entertaining. 

"I  understand  your  feeling,  sir,"  said  the  good  wife. 
"  Tis  a  sin  and  a  shame  ye  lost  the  farm,  which  was 
yours  by  right ;  but  doan't  'ee  let  'em  spoil  your  dinner ; 
I  can't  abear  mutton  half  cold." 

A  more  important  matter,  however,  than  the  cooling 
of  my  mutton  was  troubling  me.  I  had  heard  Cludde 
call  for  wine  and  dice,  from  which  it  was  clear  that  he 
did  not  intend  to  leave  yet  a  while.  There  was  no  way 
out  except  by  going  through  the  inn  tap-room,  and  I  was 
not  inclined  to  face  Dick  Cludde  there,  for  he  would  of 
a  certainty  make  some  sneering  or  belittling  remark,  and 
my  temper  being  not  of  the  meekest  I  feared  things 
might  come  to  a  brawl.  Not  that  I  cared  a  fig's  end  for 
Cludde,  or  feared  any  ill  result  from  a  personal  en- 
counter ;  but  I  knew  the  inn  was  a  property  of  Sir  Rich- 
ard's, who  would  speedily  find  a  new  tenant  if  Dick  got 
a  broken  head  there. 

There  was  nothing  for  it  but  to  stay  where  I  was,  and 
bear  with  what  patience  I  might  the  interruption  to  my 
scarcely  begun  journey.  So  I  sat  in  my  chair,  and  even 
through  the  closed  door  could  hear  the  loud  voices  of  the 
naval  men  and  the  rattle  of  the  dice  on  the  board.  They 
called  often  for  more  wine,  and  grew  more  and  more 
boisterous  as  their  potations  lengthened,  giving  me  a 
hope  that  they  would  by  and  by  be  so  fuddled  as  to 
make  it  possible  for  me  to  escape  unrecognized.  But 
this  hope  was  soon  dashed. 

"Let's  have  another  bottle!"  cried  one  of  the  tfiree; 
his  speech  was  very  thick.  "Let's  have  another." 

"No,  no,"  said  another.  "You've  had  enough,  Kirkby ; 
and  Cludde  there  is  half  asleep  already." 

"Ads  bobs,  Walton,"  returned  the  man  addressed  as 


A   CROWN-PIECE  67 

Kirkby,  "are  you  growing  like  Benbow?  No  wine,  no 
gentlemen !  What's  things  comin'  to,  I  say,  when  a  fel- 
low like  Benbow,  no  gentleman"  (he  pronounced  it  "gem- 
man")  "flies  his  flag  on  a  king's  ship !" 

And  then,  being  perfectly  tipsy,  he  launched  out  into 
violent  abuse  of  Joe  Punchard's  captain,  who  was,  it  is 
true,  a  rough  and  ready  seaman,  and,  I  must  own,  some- 
what uncouth  in  his  manners.  From  his  words  I  learned 
that  Kirkby  had  been  a  lieutenant  on  Benbow's  ship,  and 
was  deeply  incensed  that  any  one  who  was  not  a  "gem- 
man"  should  have  had  the  right  to  give  him  orders.  For 
a  full  half-hour  he  inveighed  against  that  brave  man,  the 
head  and  front  of  whose  offense  appeared  to  be  that  he 
rated  bravery  more  highly  than  blood,  and  seamanship 
than  breeding,  and  often  took  sides  with  the  tars  against 
their  officers. 

"Why,  what  d'ye  think  of  this  now?"  cried  Kirkby. 
'  Twas  on  Portsmouth  Hard,  and  a  dirty  old  apple- 
woman  shoved  her  basket  under  my  nose  and  begged  me 
to  buy,  and  wouldn't  be  denied,  and  followed  me  whining 
up  the  road,  and  out  of  all  patience  I  turns  round  and 
tips  up  her  basket,  and  all  the  apples  roll  into  the  mud. 
A  tar  who  was  smoking  against  the  wall  says  something 
under  his  breath  and  begins  to  gather  up  the  apples. 
'Leave  that,  sirrah !'  says  I.  He  begs  my  pardon  and  goes 
on  as  before.  I  up  with  my  cane  and  was  laying  on  for 
his  insolence  when  Benbow  roars  out  ('twas  under  the 
window  of  his  inn)  'What  be  you  a-doin'  of?'  That's 
how  he  speaks.  'What  be  you  a-doin'  of?'  says  he.  Tm 
a-teachin'  of  him  manners,'  says  I.  Til  teach  you  man- 
ners,' he  roars,  and  orders  me  back  to  my  ship,  and  hu- 
miliates a  gemman  before  a  lout  with  hair  as  red  as  fire 
and  legs  that  made  a  circle." 

"Why,  sure  'twas  Joe  Punchard,"  cries  Cludde,  "a  fel- 


68  HUMPHREY   BOLE) 

low  that  near  killed  a  friend  o'  mine,"  and  he  breaks 
into  the  old  School  distich — 

*0,  ^,  TO,  bandy-legged  Joe, 

Turnip  and  carrots  wherever  you  go. 

and  the  others  screamed  with  maudlin  laughter. 

"I  know  who  was  the  gemman,"  whispers  Mistress 
Appleby,  who  had  heard  it  all. 

Shortly  afterwards,  being  in  high  good-humor  after 
vindicating  their  quality  as  gentlemen,  the  three  called 
for  their  reckoning  and  went  round  to  the  stables  to  see 
to  their  horses.  I  seized  the  opportunity  to  make  my 
escape,  taking  leave  very  heartily  of  my  kind  host  and 
hostess.  I  was  not  sorry  to  get  upon  the  road  again, 
having  purposed  to  cover  at  least  twenty-five  or  thirty 
miles  before  night.  It  was  downhill  now,  and  I  was 
swinging  along  at  a  good  pace  when  I  heard  horses  be- 
hind me  and  saw,  with  annoyance,  that  I  might  not  escape 
unnoticed,  after  all.  Cludde  and  his  companions  were 
cantering  down  the  hill,  at  the  risk  of  mishap,  for  naval 
officers  are  notoriously  bad  horsemen,  and  one  of  them — 
Kirkby,  I  doubt  not — was  swaying  in  his  saddle.  I 
stepped  down  to  the  side  of  a  brook  which  skirted  the 
road,  hoping  they  would  pass  me  by ;  but  my  lanky  body 
was  not  one  to  escape  remark,  and  Kirkby  himself  as  he 
came  up  threw  a  jest  at  my  height.  Cludde  gave  me  a 
glance,  and  a  malicious  smile  sat  upon  his  face. 

"Poor  beggar!"  he  said  in  an  undertone,  but  loud 
enough  for  me  to  hear,  and  he  flung  me  a  coin,  which 
struck  my  arm  and  rolled  to  the  brink  of  the  brook.  In 
a  trice  I  was  up  the  bank,  hot  with  a  mad  rage  to  come 
to  grips  with  the  fellow.  But  he  had  anticipated  the 
movement,  and  setting  spurs  to  his  horse  was  beyond  my 
reach.  I  disdained  to  pursue  him ;  indeed  it  would  have 


A   CROWN-PIECE  69 

been  vain;  I  could  but  stomach  the  affront.  But  I  was 
not  yet  seasoned  to  petty  slights,  and  in  my  bitterness  of 
spirit  I  sat  down  on  the  grassy  bank  and  for  a  while 
gave  the  rein  to  my  feelings,  brooding  moodily  on  my 
wrongs.  Then  I  chanced  to  spy  the  coin  which  he  had 
flung  to  me  as  a  man  might  fling  a  bone  to  a  dog.  I 
picked  it  up :  it  was  a  crown-piece.  For  a  moment  I  was 
tempted  to  pitch  it  into  the  brook;  but  on  a  sudden  im- 
pulse I  bestowed  it  in  a  little  inner  pocket  apart  from  the 
rest  of  my  money. 

"There  it  is,  Dick  Cludde,"  I  muttered  between  my 
teeth,  "and  there  it  shall  remain  until  the  day  when  I  re- 
turn it  you,  with  interest." 

After  that  I  felt  more  composed,  and  walked  on  with 
a  lightened  heart. 


CHAPTER  VIII 

I  FALL  AMONG  THIEVES 

For  some  time  past  the  sky  had  been  clouding  over,  and 
the  wind  blowing  up  with  a  threat  of  rain.  Before  long 
it  began  to  fall  in  a  steady  drizzle,  and  I  saw  that  if  I 
would  not  be  drenched  to  the  skin  I  must  renounce  my 
purpose  of  completing  thirty  miles,  and  seek  a  shelter  for 
the  night.  Coming  to  a  small  hamlet  of  two  or  three  cot- 
tages, I  inquired  of  a  laboring  man  whom  I  saw  entering 
one,  how  far  I  must  go  to  find  an  inn.  He  told  me  that 
there  was  one  a  mile  or  so  on,  just  before  coming  to  Mor- 
ville,  and  thanking  him,  I  hastened  on  my  way.  But  be- 
fore I  had  gone  a  mile  I  espied  a  ruined  barn  in  a  field 
by  the  roadside,  and  being  already  tired  and  little  inclined 
to  encounter  strangers,  I  turned  into  it  to  see  if  it  would 
afford  me  sufficient  protection  against  the  weather.  The 
interior  was  cosier  than  the  outward  aspect  promised,  and 
finding  a  quantity  of  clean  hay  at  one  end,  I  stripped  off 
my  coat,  set  down  my  knapsack  for  a  pillow,  and,  rolling 
myself  in  the  hay,  was  soon  fast  asleep. 

I  was  roused  while  it  was  still  dark  by  the  sound  of 
voices.  Being  wide  awake  in  an  instant,  I  had  sufficient 
presence  of  mind  to  avoid  betraying  my  whereabouts  by  a 
rustling  among  the  hay,  and  lay  and  listened,  wondering 
who  the  intruders  might  be,  and  fearing  lest  they  should 
approach  my  end  of  the  barn  to  seek  a  couch  for  the  re- 
mainder of  the  night.  But  they  made  no  movement  in  my 

70 


I   FALL  AMONG  THIEVES  71 

direction,  and  before  many  minutes  had  passed  I  under- 
stood by  their  voices  that  they  were  three,  and  gathered 
from  their  talk  that  they  were  poachers  who  had  been  ply- 
ing their  stealthy  trade  in  the  coverts  of  a  neighboring 
park,  and  had  turned  into  the  barn,  which  they  evidently 
knew  well,  for  a  brief  rest  before  making  for  their  homes 
at  Bridgenorth. 

I  hoped  that  they  would  leave  before  daylight,  without 
discovering  me ;  but  just  as  the  sparrows  on  the  roof  were 
twittering  a  greeting  to  the  dawn,  as  ill  luck  would  have 
it,  one  of  the  men  spied  my  coat,  spread  on  staddles 
against  the  wall  to  dry.  He  uttered  a  sharp  exclamation, 
and  called  to  his  comrades.  I  heard  them  come  in  my  di- 
rection, and  guessed  by  their  silence  that  they  were  look- 
ing warily  around  for  the  owner  of  the  coat.  But  they  did 
not  see  me,  being  completely  covered  by  the  hay ;  and,  re- 
marking that  it  looked  a  "rare  good  coat,"  one  of  them 
put  his  hand  into  all  the  pockets  in  turn,  and  from  the 
inner  one  fetched  out  Cludde's  crown-piece. 

"A  silver  crown,  Jo,"  he  says. 

"Bite  it,"  said  another. 

"Good  as  gold,"  returned  the  first.    "This  be  rare  luck." 

Now,  if  I  had  been  a  few  years  older  and  more  expert 
in  dealing  with  men,  I  should  doubtless  have  parleyed  with 
the  fellows ;  but  in  the  heat  of  youth  and  inexperience,  in- 
dignant at  the  freedom  with  which  they  were  handling  my 
belongings,  I  sprang  out  of  the  hay,  made  for  the  man 
who  held  the  coat,  and  peremptorily  called  on  him  to  drop 
it.  His  answer  was  a  sudden  well-planted  blow  which 
sent  me  incontinently  backward  into  the  hay  from  which 
I  had  risen.  I  was  up  in  an  instant,  and  then  began  a 
struggle,  short  and  decisive.  The  three  men  were  all 
shorter  than  I,  but  thick-set  and  powerfully  made,  and 
struggle  as  I  might  I  soon  had  to  own  myself  beaten,  and 


72  HUMPHREY   BOLD 

was  borne  to  the  floor,  one  holding  my  head,  another  my 
feet,  and  the  third  discommoding  me  very  much  by  sitting 
on  my  middle. 

"What  be  you  a-doing  here  ?"  says  the  man  called  Job. 

"I  might  ask  you  the  same  question,"  I  replied,  again 
choosing  the  wrong  method  of  dealing  with  them. 

"You  might,  but  you  wouldn't  get  no  answer,"  was  the 
grim  retort.  "You've  heard  what  we've  a-said  ?"  the  fel- 
low went  on.  I  replied  that  I  had  heard  it  all.  The  men 
joined  in  a  chorus  of  oaths,  and  then  began  to  discuss 
among  themselves  what  they  should  do  with  me,  with  a 
freedom  and  a  disregard  of  any  view  I  might  hold  on  the 
matter  which  in  other  circumstances  I  might  have  found 
amusing. 

"If  we  lets  him  go,'*  said  the  man  called  Job,  "he 
peaches,  sure  enough,  and  then  'tis  the  collar  for  us  all," 
by  which  I  understood  he  meant  the  hangman's  noose. 
"If  we  don't  let  him  go  we  must  ayther  take  him  with  us 
or  tie  him  up,  and  then  belike  his  friends  will  find  him,  and 
'twill  be  the  same  end  for  us." 

"Rest  easy  on  both  points,"  I  said,  having  recovered 
somewhat  of  my  composure.  "I  won't  peach,  and  I  have 
no  friends  within  twenty  miles." 

"'S  truth?"  said  the  man. 

"It  is  quite  true,"  I  replied. 

Whereat  they  burst  into  a  guffaw,  and  I  knew  that  I 
had  made  another  mistake. 

"He  bain't  over  ripe,"  said  the  man  on  my  middle. 

"True,  he  was  born  young,"  said  Job.  "Well,  now,  I'm 
a  gemman,  I  am,  and  fair  exchange  is  no  robbery,  and  as 
I've  took  a  fancy  for  this  'ere  coat,  being  a  trifle  newer 
nor  mine,  I'll  chop  with  you ;  me  being  a  trifle  older  nor 
you  makes  all  square,  I  reckon.  Bill,  what  about  the 
breeches  ?" 


I   FALL  AMONG  THIEVES  73 

"To  be  sure,  Job,  mine  be  worn  thin ;  I'll  have  measter's 
breeches." 

"And  what's  for  me  ?"  growled  the  man  at  my  feet. 

"There's  only  the  shirt  and  the  boots  left,"  said  Job, 
"for  bein'  gemmen  we  can't  let  him  go  bare.  You  take 
the  boots,  Topper." 

And  having  thus  apportioned  my  habiliments,  they  pro- 
ceeded to  divest  me  of  boots  and  breeches,  threatening  to 
knock  me  on  the  head  if  I  made  any  resistance.  In  strip- 
ping me  they  came  upon  the  wallet  in  which  my  precious 
guineas  were  stowed.  Job  opened  it  in  a  twinkling,  and  I 
had  the  mortification  of  seeing  all  the  money  I  possessed 
divided  among  these  three  ruffians.  When  the  exchange  of 
clothing  had  been  effected,  I  found  myself  attired  in  a 
dirty,  greasy  coat  much  too  small  for  me,  my  arms  pro- 
truding far  beyond  the  sleeves,  a  pair  of  grimy  patched 
leather  smalls,  that  left  an  inch  or  two  of  bare  flesh  above 
my  stockings,  and  boots  that,  rent  and  battered  though 
they  were,  cramped  my  feet  terribly. 

"How  we  have  overgrowed!"  quoth  Job  with  a  leer. 
The  others  laughed ;  then  suddenly  the  man  called  Topper 
looked  at  Job  with  a  frown  and  said : 

"Fair's  fair;  that  there  silver  crown — I  want  a  bit  of 
that,  Job." 

This  set  them  squabbling,  though  they  kept  a  wary  eye 
on  me  all  the  time.  In  the  end  they  decided  to  settle  the 
ownership  of  the  coin  by  the  arbitrament  of  chance.  Job 
first  spun  it ;  Bill  called  "heads"  and  lost.  At  the  second 
spin  Topper  called  "tails,"  and  was  about  to  pocket  the 
crown  when  I  made  a  suggestion. 

"Gentlemen,"  I  said,  in  a  conciliatory  tone  which  I 
ought  to  have  adopted  before,  "I  value  that  crown-piece 
more  highly  than  all  the  guineas  you  have  appropriated. 
'Tis  clear  you  are  sportsmen" — I  glanced  at  the  hares  that 


74  HUMPHREY   BOLD 

lay  on  the  floor,  the  booty  of  their  night's  depredations. 
"I  make  you  an  offer  which  as  sportsmen  you  will  not  re- 
fuse. Let  Mr.  Topper  and  me  fight  it  out,  man  to  man, 
and  the  coin  go  to  the  winner." 

"Spoke  like  a  man ;  what  dost  say,  Topper  ?"  said  Job. 

"Done!"  says  Topper,  forthwith  flinging  off  his  coat, 
and  rolling  up  his  shirt  sleeves.  It  was  clear  that  I  was  in- 
curring a  risk,  for  the  muscles  of  his  arms  stood  up  like 
great  globes;  but  if  I  could  not  match  him  in  strength,  I 
hoped  at  least  to  have  some  little  advantage  of  him  in 
science,  thanks  to  the  lessons  of  my  good  friend  Captain 
Galsworthy.  I  pulled  off  my  coat,  or  rather  Job's,  starting 
a  seam  as  I  did  so,  and  then,  the  other  two  men  standing 
between  us  and  the  door,  Topper  and  I  began  our  bout. 

I  could  see  that  he,  as  well  as  his  companions,  expected 
to  win  an  easy  victory.  But  when  at  the  end  of  the  first 
round,  we  stopped  at  Job's  call  for  a  breather,  neither  of 
us  had  got  home  more  than  a  few  body  blows,  and  Topper 
was  patently  chagrined,  more  especially  as  the  others 
could  not  forbear  twitting  him.  He  began  the  second 
round  with  an  impetuosity  that  kept  me  wholly  on  the  de- 
fensive, and  pressed  me  so  hard  that  I  gave  back  and 
failed  to  counter  a  blow  that  sent  me  spinning  on  to  the 
hay  behind.  This  afforded  the  others  much  satisfaction, 
and  at  the  call  of  time,  they  encouraged  Topper  with  a 
cry  to  give  me  a  settler  and  have  done  with  it.  But  this 
was  his  undoing.  He  came  at  me  with  the  same  ferocity 
as  before,  and,  confident  of  a  speedy  victory,  gave  me  an 
opening  of  which  I  was  quick  to  take  advantage.  In  a 
trice  I  was  within  his  guard ;  I  dealt  him  a  right-hander 
with  all  my  force ;  he  staggered,  and  before  he  could  re- 
cover, a  left-hander  got  him  on  the  point  of  the  chin,  and 
over  he  went  with  a  thud  on  to  the  floor. 

His  companions  bent  over  him  in  consternation.     At 


I   FALL   AMONG   THIEVES  75 

that  moment  I  could  have  made  my  escape,  I  doubt  not, 
had  I  chosen  to  dash  for  the  door,  and  indeed,  I  was  on 
the  point  of  doing  so  when  I  was  stayed  by  some  feeling 
that  it  would  be  hardly  becoming  to  take  flight  then.  Be- 
sides, the  coin  for  which  I  had  fought  was  still  in  the 
fallen  man's  pocket. 

He  got  up  by  and  by,  somewhat  dazed  and  rubbing  his 
head.  He  glowered  at  me  for  a  moment,  then  flung  the 
crown  towards  me  with  a  curse. 

"Who  said  he  was  green?"  he  muttered,  allowing  Job 
to  help  him  on  with  his  coat. 

"He's  a  viper,"  said  Job  consolingly.  "We  won't  tell 
no  one,  Topper." 

It  was  light  by  this  time,  and  Bill  remarked  that  they 
had  best  be  getting  back  to  Bridgenorth,  or  they  would 
find  folk  astir.  They  looked  at  me  with  some  hesitation ; 
then  Job  said : 

"We're  a-going  to  make  you  fast,  my  bawcock,  and 
don't  make  no  mistake.  Ads  bobs,  if  ye  come  to  Bridge- 
north  Fair  we'll  find  some  'un  to  down  you,  strike  me  if 
we  don't." 

They  bound  my  legs  and  arms  with  withes  that  are 
used  for  tying  trusses  of  hay,  and  left  me. 

I  felt  some  natural  satisfaction  in  the  issue  of  this  fight ; 
but  it  made  poor  amends  for  the  loss  of  my  clothes  and 
my  guineas.  Luckily  my  knapsack,  hidden  in  the  hay, 
had  escaped  the  poachers'  observation ;  and  the  recovery 
of  Dick  Cludde's  crown-piece  gave  me  a  good  deal  of 
pleasure.  The  moment  the  poachers  were  gone,  I  began 
to  try  to  free  myself  from  my  bonds,  but  it  was  only  after 
much  painful  wriggling  and  straining  that  I  at  length 
released  my  hands.  My  clasp  knife  had  departed  with  my 
breeches ;  Bill's  pockets  were  empty ;  but  after  some 
search,  crawling  about  the  barn,  I  discovered  a  broken 


76  HUMPHREY   BOLG 

slate  wherewith  to  cut  the  fastenings  of  my  feet.  And 
then,  when  I  stood  upright,  and,  with  leisure  for  thought 
became  fully  aware  of  the  sorry  figure  I  cut,  in  foul  gar- 
ments a  world  too  small  for  me,  I  was  nigh  overwhelmed 
with  a  feeling  of  despair,  and  was  almost  ready  to  wait 
until  nightfall,  and  slink  back  by  byways  to  Shrewsbury. 
But  after  a  while  I  got  the  better  of  this  heart-sickness, 
and,  rating  myself  for  a  poltroon,  I  strapped  on  my  knap- 
sack and  issued  forth  from  the  barn,  doggedly  resolved 
to  pursue  my  journey. 

It  was  many  an  hour  since  I  Had  eaten,  and,  once  more 
in  the  open  air,  my  stomach  cried  out  for  breakfast.  When 
a  man  has  never  had  to  want  for  food,  it  is  with  a  dis- 
agreeable shock  he  realizes  that  he  must  be  hungry.  True, 
I  had  the  crown-piece,  and  before  the  sun  had  mounted  I 
was  sore  tempted  to  spend  it ;  but  the  vow  I  had  inwardly 
made  to  keep  it  for  its  owner,  together  with  a  shame- 
faced reluctance  to  appear  in  my  present  condition  before 
a  fellow-man,  helped  me  for  a  time  to  bear  my  hunger. 
Yet  I  knew  that  I  could  not  go  long  without  food,  and  it 
would  soon  become  imperative  that  I  should  pocket  my 
pride  and  either  change  the  crown  or  seek  some  means  of 
earning  enough  to  buy  myself  a  meal. 

For  a  time  I  trudged  through  the  fields,  avoiding  the 
public  eye.  Coming  at  length  to  a  road,  which  I  took  to 
be  the  highroad,  I  set  off  along  it,  stiffening  my  resolu- 
tion to  ask  for  a  job  at  the  first  village  I  reached.  But 
just  as  a  row  of  cottages  came  in  sight,  and  I  was  consid- 
ering in  what  terms  to  make  my  request,  a  parson  and  a 
lady  on  horseback  turned  into  the  road  from  a  by-lane, 
and  when  they  had  passed  I  heard  a  ripple  of  laughter 
from  the  lady,  no  doubt  in  response  to  some  jest  from 
her  companion  on  my  ridiculous  appearance.  This  set  my 


I   FALL  AMONG  THIEVES  77 

blood  a-boiling ;  I  flung  away  in  a  rage,  leapt  a  stile  into 
a  field,  and  felt  that  I  would  rather  starve  than  ask  assist- 
ance of  a  living  soul.  I  sat  down  beneath  a  hedge,  utterly 
woebegone,  and  chewed  the  bitter  cud  of  my  misfortunes 
until  for  sheer  weariness  I  fell  asleep. 

When  I  awoke,  the  sun,  which  had  shone  brilliantly 
all  day,  was  already  sloping  to  the  west.  My  rage  was 
gone  now,  and  I  cursed  myself  for  a  fool.  A  pretty  spirit 
I  had  shown  indeed !  What  was  I  good  for  if  I  could  not 
bear  a  little  ridicule!  "Let  'em  laugh,  and  go  hang!"  I 
cried,  and  up  I  sprang,  resolved  to  accost  the  first  person 
I  met,  whoever  it  might  be,  and  at  any  rate  earn  a  crust. 
I  walked  along  the  field,  took  a  long  draught  from  a  clear 
brook  that  crossed  it,  and  coming  into  the  road,  spied  a 
large  house  lying  some  way  back  amid  trees.  True  to  my 
resolve,  I  made  towards  it,  entered  an  iron  gate  that  stood 
open,  and  was  marching  up  the  broad  gravel  walk  leading 
to  the  house  when  I  was  checked  by  a  voice. 

"Hi,  you  fellow,  what  do  you  want  here  ?" 

I  turned,  and  saw  a  well-dressed  boy  of  about  my  own 
age  coming  out  of  a  shrubbery  into  the  walk.  I  stopped, 
feeling  a  certain  awkwardness,  and  stood  before  him, 
looking  sheepish  enough,  no  doubt.  He  eyed  me  for  a 
moment ;  then  burst  out  a-laughing. 

"You  have  no  business  here ;  get  you  gone,  fellow,"  he 
said,  when  he  had  recovered.  I  gulped  down  the  wrath 
that  rose  in  me,  and  said  quietly : 

"I  was  but  on  my  way  to  ask  if  I  might  do  something 
to  earn  a  meal  and  a  night's  lodging." 

He  looked  at  me  curiously,  perceiving  that  in  mode  of 
speech  I  was  somewhat  different  from  the  low  tramp  I 
looked.  But  youth  is  often  impatient  and  hard ;  my  ap- 
pearance consorted  so  little  with  my  tongue  that  he  had 


78  HUMPHREY,   BOLDJ 

much  excuse  for  regarding  me  as  a  ne'er-do-well,  the  less 
deserving  of  pity  because  he  probably  owed  his  plight  to 
vicious  courses. 

"There's  the  poor-house  for  tramps,  and  the  lock-up  for 
rascals,"  he  added.  "Be  off  with  you !" 

"Pardon  me,  sir,"  said  I,  as  quietly  as  before,  "I  have 
eaten  nothing  for  thirty  hours  or  longer,  and  if  you  would 
but  give  me  speech  with  the  master  of  the  house,  I  doubt 
not  he  would  allow  me  milk  and  bread,  for  which  I  would 
willingly  do  a  turn  of  work  in  the  morning." 

"D'you  hear  me,  sirrah!"  cries  the  boy.  "You're  a 
poacher  if  the  truth  were  known.  We  want  no  lazy  louts 
here,  and  if  you're  not  outside  the  gates  instantly  I  vow 
I'll  set  the  dogs  on  to  you." 

And  with  that  he  came  up  to  me  ,and  gave  me  a  shove 
with  his  shoulder.  He  had  courage,  for  he  was  smaller 
than  I.  'Twas  the  spirit  that  prompts  a  gentleman,  how- 
ever puny,  to  despise  the  churl,  however  big.  His  words 
I  had  borne  patiently  enough,  but  I  could  endure  no 
more.  Wrenching  myself  away,  I  dealt  him  a  buffet  that 
stretched  him  flat  on  the  ground. 

This  scene  had  passed  within  a  few  paces  of  the  gate, 
and  I  had  been  so  preoccupied  that  I  had  not  heard  the 
clatter  of  an  approaching  horse,  and  in  consequence  was 
taken  utterly  aback  when  a  loud  voice  behind  me  cried, 
"What's  this  ?  What's  this  ?"  and  immediately  afterwards 
the  lash  of  a  whip  fell  smartly  on  my  back,  causing  me  to 
spring  round  in  a  heat  of  indignation.  A  gentleman  had 
just  ridden  in  at  the  gate,  and,  taking  in  the  situation  at 
a  glance,  had  begun  the  chastisement  which  he  had  much 
reason  to  suppose  I  deserved. 

What  with  my  hunger,  the  boy's  insults,  and  the  sting 
of  the  lash,  I  was  now  roused  to  as  high  a  pitch  of  fury 
as  I  had  ever  in  my  life  reached.  I  had  taken  a  step 


I   FALL   AMONG   THIEVES  79 

towards  the  horse,  to  drag  the  rider  from  his  saddle,  and 
he  had  raised  the  whip  once  more  to  strike,  when  a  voice 
from  the  direction  of  the  house  caused  us  both  to  pause. 

"Don't,  uncle ;  oh,  please  don't !" 

Involuntarily  I  turned,  and  saw  a  young  girl  flying 
down  the  path,  her  long  unloosed  black  hair  streaming 
behind  her.  She  came  to  us  with  flushed  cheeks,  and 
breathless  with  running. 

"It  was  all  Roger's  fault,"  she  cried.  "I  saw  it,  heard 
it  all.  The  poor  man  is  starving  and  wanted  to  work  for 
food,  and  Roger  was  rude  to  him." 

Her  uncle  looked  at  her,  and  at  me,  and  at  the  boy,  who 
had  risen  from  the  ground,  wearing  a  sullen  and  crest- 
fallen look. 

"Is  that  the  right  of  it,  Roger  ?"  asked  the  gentleman. 

"He  said  so,  sir,"  he  replied,  "but  he  looks  such  a  vil- 
lainous tramp,  and  you  know  what  lies  they  tell — why, 
look  here !"  He  stooped  and  picked  something  from  the 
ground.  "He  said  he  was  hungry,  and  look  at  this  !" 

He  held  up  my  crown-piece,  which  in  the  violence  of 
my  movements,  I  suppose,  had  sprung  out  of  my  tattered 
garment.  I  felt  my  cheeks  flush  hotly,  and  was  stricken 
dumb  in  the  face  of  this  mute  evidence  giving  me  the  lie. 
The  girl  gazed  at  me  for  a  moment ;  then,  her  lip  curling 
with  disdain,  she  turned  her  back  and  walked  up  the  path 
towards  the  house. 

"Well,  rascal  ?"  said  the  gentleman  sternly. 

"It  is  mine,  truly,"  I  said.    '"But—" 

"Go  fetch  the  men,"  he  said  to  the  boy.  "As  sure  as 
I'm  alive  I'll  commit  you  for  a  rogue  and  vagabond,  for 
mendicancy  and  assault." 

He  drew  his  horse  across  the  gate  so  that  I  could  not 
escape,  while  the  boy  hastened  to  the  house. 

"You  are  a  magistrate,  sir,"  I  ventured  to  say,  "and 


80  HUMPHREY   BOLD 

sure  'tis  not  your  custom  to  condemn  your  prisoners  un- 
heard." 

"Adzooks,  you  teach  me  my  duty  ?"  he  cried  in  a  rage. 
"You  insolent  scoundrel !" 

I  held  my  peace,  and  in  a  few  moments  the  boy  re- 
turned, with  two  stablemen. 

"Take  this  fellow  to  the  coach-house,"  said  their 
master. 

"I'll  go  where  you  please,"  I  cried  hotly,  "but  if  those 
men  lay  a  finger  on  me  I'll  crack  their  skulls  for  them." 

My  height  and  my  fierce  aspect  so  well  promised  that  I 
could  perform  my  threat  that  the  men  held  off  and  eyed 
their  master  dubiously. 

"Lead  on,  Roger !"  he  cried  with  an  oath,  too  much  in- 
censed for  further  speech.  The  boy  led  the  way ;  I  fol^ 
lowed,  the  two  stablemen  stepping  behind  me,  but  at  a 
reasonable  distance,  and  the  horseman  brought  up  the 
rear.  Thus  in  procession  we  went  round  the  house  to  the 
back ;  I  entered  the  coach-house,  and  the  gentleman,  hav- 
ing dismounted,  came  in  after  me,  and  commanded  me  to 
give  an  account  of  myself. 


CHAPTER   IX 

GOOD  SAMARITANS 

During  the  short  passage  to  the  coach-house  I  had  been 
trying  to  consider  my  course:  but  my  state  of  famish- 
ment and  the  agitation  into  which  I  had  been  thrown  had 
bereft  me  of  all  power  of  consecutive  thought;  so  that 
when  the  gentleman  called  upon  me,  in  no  gentle  tones, 
to  give  an  account  of  myself,  I  stood  like  a  stock-fish 
before  him.  Then  I  was  amazed  to  feel  my  legs  giving 
way  under  me ;  I  stretched  forth  my  arms  in  an  instinc- 
tive attempt  to  steady  myself,  and,  clutching  at  empty  air, 
fell  heavily  forward  on  to  the  stone  floor. 

When  I  came  to  myself,  I  saw  a  kind,  motherly  face 
bending  over  me,  and  was  aware  of  a  hot  taste  in  my 
mouth. 

"Are  you  better  now  ?"  said  the  lady,  in  tones  the  like 
of  which  I  had  seldom  heard. 

I  smiled,  and  she  held  a  spoon  to  my  lips,  and  I  swal- 
lowed its  contents — a  mixture  of  rum  and  milk,  I  think — 
as  obediently  as  a  baby. 

"Poor  boy !  he  must  have  been  starving,"  said  the  lady. 

"And  what  right  had  a  fellow  to  be  starving  with  a 
crown-piece  in  his  pocket  ?"  said  the  gentleman  behind. 

"He  will  explain  by  and  by,"  replied  the  lady.  "He 
must  not  be  vexed  to-night,  James.  I  have  made  up  a 
bed  in  the  loft,  and  Martha  is  preparing  some  food.  Can 
you  walk,  my  poor  boy  ?"  she  asked  me. 

81 


82  HUMPHREY   BOLD 

"I  am  quite  well,  ma'am,"  I  said,  staggering  to  my  feet. 
"I  don't  know  what  came  over  me." 

She  told  me  that  I  had  fainted,  which  surprised  me 
mightily,  though  when  I  came  to  reflect  it  was  not  much 
to  be  wondered  at,  seeing  that  never  in  my  life  before  had 
I  been  for  more  than  four  hours  without  food. 

"The  gentleman  asked  me  to  explain — "  I  began,  re- 
membering what  had  preceded  my  fall. 

"Never  mind  about  that  now,"  said  the  lady.  "You 
will  go  to  bed,  and  when  you  have  had  some  food  you 
will  sleep,  and  you  can  tell  my  husband  all  about  it  in  the 
morning." 

And  then  she  directed  the  two  stablemen  who  were 
standing  at  the  door  to  help  me  up  the  ladder  into  the 
loft  of  the  coach-house.  A  bed,  spread  with  linen  as  good 
as  ever  I  lay  on,  was  arranged  at  one  end ;  and,  dropping 
on  to  this,  I  was  asleep  immediately.  They  told  me  next 
morning  that  the  mistress  had  herself  brought  up  the 
posset  which  her  servant  had  prepared ;  but,  finding  me 
in  such  deep  slumber,  had  carried  it  away  again,  saying 
that  sleep  was  as  good  as  food  to  me  then. 

The  sunlight,  streaming  in  at  the  little  window  above 
my  bed,  wakened  me  early.  I  was  at  first  perplexed  at  my 
unfamiliar  surroundings,  but,  recollecting  at  length  the 
happenings  of  the  previous  day,  I  got  up  and  descended 
the  stairs.  At  the  door  of  the  coach-house  one  of  the  men 
I  had  already  seen  was  swilling  the  wheel  of  a  big  coach 
with  pails  of  water,  whistling  the  while.  He  grinned 
when  he  saw  me,  and  said : 

"Mistress  said  you  was  to  go  straight  to  kitchen  when 
you  waked,  and  fill  your  stomick." 

"I  am  mighty  hungry,  to  be  sure,  but  I  should  like  to 
wash  first,"  I  replied. 

"Why,  you  do  look  'mazing  grimy,"  he  said  with  an- 


GOOD   SAMARITANS  83 

other  grin.  "Do  ye  feel  better  this  marnin'?  You  went 
into  a  faint  like  as  I  never  did  see — a  real  female  faint  it 
was.  I  reckon  as  how  you  be  overgrowed,  young  man." 

"Where  shall  I  find  the  pump  ?"  I  asked,  restive  under 
this  reference  to  my  unhappy  attire. 

"Ho,  Giles!"  he  called,  "take  the  young  man  to  the 
poomp." 

At  this  cry,  Giles,  in  whom  I  recognized  the  second 
man  whose  skull  I  had  threatened  to  crack,  appeared 
from  round  the  corner  of  the  coach-house.  His  face  also 
wore  a  grin. 

"Ay,  true  now,  you  do  want  the  poomp,"  he  said. 
"Come,  and  I'll  show  'ee.  It  do  make  a  young  feller 
weak-like  when  he  overgrows  his  strength.  There  was 
my  sister  Jane's  Billy,  to  be  sure,  shot  up  like  a  weed,  he 
did,  was  for  ever  falling  into  fits,  and  a  bit  soft  in  his 
noddle,  too,  poor  soul.  Here's  the  poomp ;  be  'ee  strong 
enough  to  draw  for  yourself,  think  'ee,  or  shall  I  do  it 
for'ee?" 

I  was  strongly  tempted  to  catch  the  fellow  by  the 
middle  and  give  him  a  back-throw  which  would  enlighten 
him  as  to  my  physical  aptitude;  but  I  forbore,  and  al- 
lowed him  to  pump  for  me,  which  he  did  with  great  will- 
ingness, discoursing  the  while  on  the  infirmities  of  all  his 
kin.  Refreshed  by  my  ablutions,  I  was  nothing  loath  to 
follow  him  to  the  kitchen,  where  a  red-faced  little  dump- 
ling of  a  cook  set  before  me  such  a  breakfast  as  would 
have  made  Mistress  Pennyquick  stare. 

"Eat  away,"  she  said,  setting  her  arms  akimbo  and 
eying  me  up  and  down  as  I  ravenously  began  my  meal. 
"Lawks!  I  don't  wonder  ye  fainted  if  'tis  true,  as  they 
say,  that  ye  hadn't  had  bite  or  sup  for  a  week.  You've  a 
big  body  to  keep  a-goin',  to  be  sure;  overgrowed  your 
strength  seemingly.  The  likes  of  me  don't  faint." 


84  HUMPHREY   BOLD 

And  at  this  Susan  the  housemaid,  who  had  just  come 
in,  giggled,  and  put  her  hand  over  her  mouth,  and  I  felt 
as  if  my  ears  had  rims  of  fire.  Would  they  never  have 
done  with  their  personal  allusions?  Mentally  I  cursed 
Job  and  Bill  and  Topper  very  heartily,  and  as  heartily 
wished  that  my  inches  were  a  little  less. 

Luckily  I  was  not  born  without  a  certain  sense  of 
humor.  It  had  deserted  me  under  stress  of  what  I  had 
gone  through  during  the  last  two  days,  but  when  my 
cavities  had  been  well  filled  with  Martha's  excellent 
viands,  I  was  suddenly  able  to  see  myself  as  I  must  ap- 
pear to  others,  and  I  astonished  the  servants  by  laying 
down  my  knife  and  fork,  leaning  back  in  my  chair,  and 
emitting  a  long  ripple  of  laughter. 

"Goodness  alive!"  exclaimed  Martha.  "Giles  said  a' 
was  a  natural,  and  I  believe  a'  spoke  true." 

"No,  no,"  I  spluttered.  "My  noddle's  sound  enough. 
I  think ;  'tis  only  that — that  I'm  overgrown !" 

And  with  that  I  laughed  again,  and  my  merriment  was 
infectious,  for  the  round  little  cook  laughed  until  she 
dropped  exhausted  into  a  chair,  and  the  housemaid  ut- 
tered shrill  little  titters  from  behind  her  hands,  bending 
[forward  at  each  explosion,  opening  her  hands  to  take  a 
peep  at  me,  and  then  "going  off,"  as  they  say,  again. 

In  the  midst  of  this  hilarity  there  sounded  suddenly  a 
jangling  and  creaking  of  wires  in  the  neighborhood  of 
the  ceiling,  followed  by  a  clang. 

"Measter's  bell!"  cried  Susan,  and,  smoothing  her 
apron,  and  settling  her  countenance  to  a  wonderful  de- 
mureness  and  sobriety,  the  little  rascal  tripped  away.  She 
was  back  in  a  minute. 

"Measter  wants  to  see  tha,"  she  said. 

I  got  up  and  followed  her  from  the  room  and  up  the 


GOOD   SAMARITANS  85 

stairs,  comfortable  in  body  and  mind,  for  sure,  I  thought, 
such  cheerfulness  was  of  good  augury :  the  master  of  such 
happy  servants  could  not  be  a  very  terrible  man.  Susan 
showed  me  into  a  large  and  well-furnished  room,  where, 
though  it  was  summer  time,  a  big  fire  was  crackling  mer- 
rily in  the  grate.  On  one  side  of  it  sat  the  master  in  a 
deep  chair,  smoking  a  pipe  of  tobacco ;  on  the  other  the 
kind  mistress  was  knitting.  She  smiled  at  me  as  I  ap- 
proached, and  I  knew  that  she  was  not  thinking  of  my 
strange  garb.  The  master  hummed  and  hawed,  as  if  in 
embarrassment  how  to  address  me ;  then,  in  a  jovial  tone 
intended  to  set  me  at  my  ease  he  said : 

"Had  a  good  breakfast?" 

I  assured  him  that  I  had  never  made  such  a  meal  in 
my  life. 

"That's  right.  Now,  we  want  you  to  tell  us  your  story 
in  your  own  way ;  but  mind,  no  beating  about  the  bush." 

I  had  already  resolved  to  tell  just  so  much  as  was  neces- 
sary, without  naming  names,  so  I  began : 

"I  was  on  my  way  to  Bristowe,  sir,  and  two  nights  ago, 
being  overtaken  by  the  rain,  I  sought  shelter  in  a  decayed 
barn  near  the  roadside,  and  slept  among  some  hay.  Before 
morning  three  men  came  in  whom  I  soon  discovered  from 
their  speech  to  be  poachers.  They  found  me,  robbed  me 
of  my  money — not  a  vast  sum — and  forced  me  to  ex- 
change garments  with  them."  Here  the  flicker  of  a  smile 
crossed  the  gentleman's  face.  "They  left  me  tied  hand 
and  foot,  and  when  I  released  myself  I  was  in  such  a 
taking  at  the  scarecrow  figure  I  must  cut  that  I  shunned 
the  sight  of  men,  and  kept  to  the  fields.  But  I  had  not 
eaten  since  noon  of  the  day  of  my  misadventure,  and, 
being  desperately  hungry,  I  entered  your  gate  to  beg  a 
meal,  purposing  to  pay  for  it  by  some  service  for  you." 


86  HUMPHREY   BOLD 

"Hum !  What  then  of  this  crown-piece  which  you  con- 
fessed was  yours  ?  Why  need  ye  starve  with  that  in  your 
pocket?" 

"To  that,  sir,  I  have  no  answer,  save  that  I  would  not 
spend  it  till  the  last  extremity." 

"Hum !    How  old  are  you  ?" 

"Somewhat  past  seventeen,  sir." 

"Just  the  age  of  our  Roger,"  said  the  lady. 

"And  what's  your  name  ?" 

At  this  I  hesitated.  I  could  not  be  more  than  thirty 
miles  from  Shrewsbury,  and  if  I  told  my  name  perchance 
it  might  travel  back,  and  I  was  in  no  mind  to  have  my 
mischances  retailed  in  the  town.  The  gentleman  saw  my 
hesitation. 

"Well,  well,"  he  said,  "no  matter  for  that.  You  have 
run  away,  eh  ?" 

"No,  sir.  I  have  no  relatives,  and  I  came  with  full  con- 
sent of  my  friends." 

"And  what  think  you  to  do  at  Bristowe?  Have  you 
friends  there?" 

"No,  sir.    I  purposed  to  find  employment  on  a  ship." 

"The  old  story!"  quoth  the  gentleman  with  a  grunt. 
Then,  with  a  shrewd  look  at  me,  he  said :  "Contra  tner- 
cator,  novem  jactantibus  austris" 

"Militia  est  potior,"  I  said,  capping  his  tag  from  Flac- 
cus'  first  satire,  without  reflecting  whereto  he  was  lur- 
ing me. 

"I  knew  it !"  he  cried,  waving  his  pipe  triumphantly  at 
his  wife.  "And  you  haven't  run  away  from  school  ?" 

"Indeed  I  have  not,  sir.  I  left  school  some  months 
ago." 

The  lady  smiled  at  his  crestfallen  look.  It  was  plain 
that,  in  talking  over  myself  and  my  situation,  he  had  de- 
clared with  the  positiveness  which  I  found  was  part  of 


GOOD   SAMARITANS  87 

his  character,  that  I  had  fallen  into  some  trouble  at  school 
and  fled  the  consequences. 

There  was  a  brief  silence ;  then  he  said : 

"You  spoke  of  work.    What  can  you  do?" 

"Little  enough,  sir,"  I  replied.  "But  I  lived  for  some 
years  on  a  farm,  and  could  do  something  in  that  kind." 

Husband  and  wife  glanced  at  each  other,  and  the  gen- 
tleman said: 

"Well,  well,  go  down-stairs  now ;  presently  I  will  send 
for  you  again." 

I  went  down,  and  found  my  way,  by  the  back  of  the 
house,  the  door  standing  open,  into  the  garden.  I  had  not 
taken  more  than  half  a  dozen  paces  down  the  middle  path 
when  a  big  dog  of  the  retriever  kind  came  barking  to- 
wards me.  Stooping  down,  I  patted  his  head  and  tickled 
his  ears,  a  thing  which  all  animals  love,  and  then  went  on, 
the  dog  trotting  by  my  side  in  most  friendly  wise.  And 
at  a  turn  of  the  walk  I  came  without  warning  upon  the 
girl  who  had  interposed  to  save  me  from  a  thrashing  and 
had  then  gone  scornfully  away,  thinking  me  a  liar.  The 
consciousness  of  my  ridiculous  appearance  rushed  upon 
me  in  a  flood,  and,  having  but  small  experience  of  woman- 
kind save  as  represented  by  Mistress  Pennyquick  and  our 
maids,  I  must  stand  stock-still,  red  to  the  roots  of  my 
hair.  The  girl  had  been  walking  towards  me,  swinging 
by  its  riband  a  garden  hat,  for  the  air  was  hot.  The  dog 
ran  to  her,  with  a  bark  that  might  have  been  of  reassur- 
ance. She  stopped,  and,  with  a  pretty  shyness  far  short 
of  embarrassment,  said : 

"Are  you  better  now,  poor  man  ?" 

I  mumbled  something,  I  know  not  what,  and  she  smiled 
and  passed  on. 

Then  I  felt  I  would  have  given  anything  to  live  that 
moment  again. 


88  HUMPHREY   BOLD 

"Dolt!  Fool!  Jackass!"  I  called  myself.  "What  a 
baby  she  must  think  me!  'Poor  man!'  she  said.  Good 
heavens !  Does  she  think  I  am  forty  ?' 

And  thus  fuming  at  my  tongue-tied  awkwardness,  I 
went  along  the  path. 

I  walked  up  and  down  for  some  time,  and  was  still 
pacing  along  with  my  back  to  the  house,  when  I  heard  a 
light  footstep  behind  me,  and  for  a  foolish  moment  fan- 
cied it  was  the  girl  whose  aspect  and  kind  words  had 
lately  put  me  in  such  a  commotion.  But  on  turning  about, 
I  felt  relief  and  disappointment  mingled  (the  disappoint- 
ment was,  I  think,  the  greater)  to  see  that  it  was  only 
Susan. 

"Measter  wants  tha,"  she  said. 

I  stepped  along  in  silence  beside  her,  she  taking  three 
steps  for  my  one,  and  giggling  to  sicken  a  man. 

"Tha'lt  never  get  a  sweetheart,"  she  said  by  and  by. 

"Oh !  and  why  not?"  I  asked. 

"  'Cos  tha'rt  such  a  great  big  feller,"  she  said. 

"What  in  the  name  of  all  that's  wonderful  has  that  to 
do  with  it?" 

The  minx  looked  archly  up  into  my  face. 

"Tha'rt  too  high  for  a  maid  to  kiss,"  says  she. 

To  this  I  made  no  answer,  being  no  whit  inclined  to 
bandy  words  with  this  pert  young  housemaid.  And  so  we 
came  to  the  house. 

"We  have  been  considering  your  case,"  said  the  master, 
when  I  again  stood  before  him.  "Are  you  still  set  on 
going  to  Bristowe?" 

"Truly,  sir,  I  have  seen  nought  to  change  my  mind." 

"You  know  you  are  miles  out  of  your  road  ?" 

"  'Tis  through  coming  over  the  fields,"  I  said. 

"Well,  if  you  are  bent  upon  it,  I  will  furnish  you  with 


GOOD   SAMARITANS  89 

money  enough  to  take  you  there,  and  trust  to  you  to  repay 
me  in  good  time." 

"  'Tis  good  of  you,  sir,"  I  said,  guessing,  and  not 
wrongly,  I  think,  at  whose  persuasion  he  made  that  offer. 
Then  I  was  silent.  The  name  "charity  brat,"  bestowed 
on  me  years  before  by  Cyrus  Vetch,  still  rankled  in  my 
soul,  and  though,  now  that  I  look  back  upon  it,  there  was 
nothing  that  need  have  wounded  my  pride  in  accepting 
the  proffered  loan,  I  was  loath  to  be  beholden  to  any  man. 
Maybe  my  feeling  on  this  point  was  complicated  with 
another  of  which  I  was  as  yet  hardly  conscious ;  but  cer- 
tain it  is  that,  after  standing  silent  for  a  brief  space,  I 
said  suddenly : 

"I  thank  you  heartily,  sir,  but  I  had  liever  earn  the 
money." 

"Pish,  lad !"  cried  the  gentleman.  "  'Tis  easy  to  see  you 
are  not  of  laboring  rank,  and  as  for  the  money,  I  shall 
not  break  if  I  never  see  it  again." 

That  was  the  worst  argument  he  could  have  devised. 
My  pride  was  up  in  arms  now,  in  good  sooth,  and  I  said 
firmly : 

"With  your  leave,  sir,  I  will  earn  what  money  I  need." 

"Didst  ever  see  such  an  obstinate  youth?"  said  he 
testily,  turning  to  his  wife.  "Well,  as  you  will.  I  war- 
rant you  will  soon  sing  another  tune.  Go  and  see  my 
steward,  one  of  the  men  will  take  you  to  him,  and  tell 
him  what  you  know  of  husbandry ;  'tis  no  more,  I  war- 
rant, than  you  have  learned  out  of  Vergil's  Georgics. 
Stay,"  he  added,  as  I  turned  to  go,  "we  must  have  a  name 
for  you.  You  can  not  be  a  mere  cipher  in  my  estate 
books." 

"Call  me  Joe,  sir,"  I  said,  bethinking  me  of  my  friend 
Punchard. 


90  HUMPHREY   BOLD 

"Joseph  in  the  house  of  bondage,"  says  He  with  a  laugh. 
"Well,  Joe  it  shall  be." 

I  was  some  paces  towards  the  door  when  remembrance 
came  to  me. 

"May  I  have  my  crown-piece,  sir?"  I  said,  turning 
back. 

"God  bless  the  boy !  Here,  take  it ;  'tis  the  same  that 
jumped  from  your  pocket.  And  now  I  bethink  me,  those 
poachers'  tatters  sit  very  ill  on  your  long  carcass.  We 
must  find  something  better  suited  to  his  frame,  mistress." 

"We  will  have  a  clothier  from  Bridgenorth,"  said  the 
lady.  "I  trust  you  will  be  very  happy  with  us  the  short 
while  you  stay,  Joe,"  she  added  with  her  gentle  smile,  and 
I  went  from  the  room  with  my  heart  very  warm  towards 
her. 


CHAPTER  X 

THE  SHUTTERED  COACH 

Thus  I  entered  on  a  period  which  I  look  back  upon, 
after  fifty  years,  as  one  of  the  happiest  in  my  life.  The 
steward,  Mr.  Johnson,  an  active,  silent  man,  employed 
me  alternately  in  practical  work  upon  the  estate — felling 
trees,  repairing  fences,  and  so  forth — and  in  keeping  his 
books,  for  which  latter  duty  my  service  with  Mr.  Vetch 
had  in  some  sort  fitted  me.  For  a  week  I  saw  nothing 
of  my  master,  and  caught  but  fugitive  glimpses  of  the 
members  of  his  family.  I  suspected,  and  rightly,  as  it 
turned  out,  that  he  was  deliberately  keeping  out  of  my 
way,  but  receiving  careful  reports  of  me  from  Mr.  John- 
son. 

His  name,  I  learned,  was  James  Allardyce,  and  his  rank 
was  something  above  that  of  a  yeoman.  He  was  choleric 
in  temper  and  hasty  in  judgment,  but  the  soul  of  kindness 
and  generosity,  and  the  servants  loved  him.  The  boy  I 
had  felled  was  his  only  son,  just  home  from  the  school 
at  Rugby;  and  his  neice,  Mistress  Lucy,  as  every  one 
called  her,  had  but  lately  become  a  member  of  his  house- 
hold. She  was  an  orphan.  Her  father  had  been  a 
planter  with  large  estates  in  Jamaica,  and  on  his  death 
she  had  been  brought  to  England  at  his  wish  by  an  old 
nurse,  and  delivered  into  the  care  of  her  mother's  brother. 
She  had  another  uncle,  it  was  said, — a  squire,  her  father's 
brother,  who  lived  somewhat  north  of  Shrewsbury.  'Twas 
Susan  who  told  me  this ;  she  was  a  chatterbox,  and  would 

91 


92  HUMPHREY    BOLD 

have  talked  all  day  to  me  had  I  not  discouraged  her,  and 
then  she  said  I  gave  myself  airs. 

But  it  was  from  Roger  Allardyce  I  learned  things  so 
surprising  that  I  wonder  I  did  not  betray  myself.  About 
a  week  after  I  came  to  the  Hall  (so  the  house  was  called) 
I  was  returning  early  one  morning  from  bathing  in  a 
stream  that  crossed  the  estate,  when  I  met  the  boy  face 
to  face.  He  was  striding  along,  whistling,  with  his 
towel  over  his  shoulder,  and  gave  me  a  look  aslant  as 
he  passed,  then  halted  and  called  after  me — 

"I  say,  Joe!" 

I  turned  at  once,  and  knew  that  he  bore  me  no  malice 
for  the  blow  I  had  dealt  him  at  our  first  meeting. 

"I  say,"  he  repeated,  "how  did  you  manage  to  keep 
your  crown-piece  when  those  poacher  fellows  bagged 
your  money?" 

I  could  not  forbear  smiling  at  this  blunt  manner  of 
holding  out  the  olive  branch.  I  told  him  of  my  fight 
with  the  man  called  Topper. 

"Wish  I  had  seen  it,"  he  said,  laughing  Heartily.  "And 
I  wish  it  had  happened  a  day  or  two  before,  for  if  you 
had  been  settled  here  then  you  could  have  plied  your  fists 
to  some  better  purpose." 

I  asked  him  to  explain. 

"Why,  a  lubber  of  a  fellow  rode  over  from  Shrews- 
bury ;  he's  a  cousin  of  mine,  more's  the  pity,  and  a  king's 
officer,  by  George!  There  were  two  other  officers  with 
him,  and  they  had  been  drinking,  and  they  insisted  on 
coming  in,  and  stayed  ever  so  long  playing  the  fool. 
Father  was  in  Bridgenorth,  and  Giles  with  him,  and  the 
other  men  were  not  at  hand,  and  we  had  to  put  up  with 
their  tomfoolery,  which  soon  drove  mother  and  Lucy 
from  the  room :  but  if  you  had  been  there  we  could  have 
contrived  to  fling  them  out  between  us." 


THE   SHUTTERED!  COACH  93 

"I  would  have  done  my  best,"  I  said. 

"How  is  the  water  ?"  he  asked. 

"Fresh,  with  a  wholesome  sting,"  I  replied,  and  then, 
giving  me  a  friendly  nod,  he  went  on  to  his  bath. 

Here  was  strange  news,  I  thought,  as  I  returned  to 
the  house.  I  could  have  no  doubt  that  the  obnoxious  vis- 
itors were  Dick  Cludde  and  his  friends :  for  it  was  hardly 
possible  that  three  other  king's  officers  should  have  rid- 
den out  of  Shrewsbury  in  this  direction  on  the  same  day. 
If  Cludde  had  come  once  he  might  come  again,  and 
should  he  catch  sight  of  me  my  story  would  not  only  be 
known  to  my  employer,  but  would  be  spread  all  over 
Shrewsbury — a  thing  I  could  not  contemplate  with  satis- 
faction. It  crossed  my  mind  that  'twould  be  safer  to  leave 
Mr.  Allardyce  and  seek  employment  with  some  other 
yeoman ;  but  from  this  course  two  reasons  deterred  me : 
first,  the  liking  I  had  taken  for  him  and  his  family ;  sec- 
ond, an  obstinate  reluctance  to  allow  Dick  Cludde  in  any 
way  to  alter  my  plans.  It  would  not  be  difficult,  I  re- 
flected, for  one  in  my  humble  position  to  avoid  him  should 
he  come  to  the  house,  and  if  I  needs  must  meet  him,  I 
should  even  welcome  the  occasion  for  bundling  him  out 
neck  and  crop  if  he  proved  a  troublesome  visitor. 

My  resolution  was  strengthened  a  few  days  after- 
wards. Since  the  morning  when  Roger  Allardyce  had 
first  addressed  me,  a  friendship  had  sprung  up  between 
us,  with  a  rapidity  only  possible  to  boys.  We  bathed  to- 
gether of  mornings ;  he  would  come  and  chat  to  me  when 
I  was  at  my  work ;  and  the  hours  of  work  being  over,  he 
would  lug  me  into  a  little  outhouse  he  kept  as  his  own, 
and  show  me  his  treasures — guns,  and  fishing  tackle,  a 
breastplate  worn  by  his  grandfather  in  the  Civil  War, 
an  oak-apple  from  the  tree  in  which  King  Charles  had 
hidden  after  the  battle  of  Worcester.  He  treated  me  as 


94  HUMPHREY   BOLD 

his  equal,  and  once,  when  I  alluded  to  my  dependent  po- 
sition, his  curiosity,  which  with  excellent  well-bred  deli- 
cacy he  kept  in  check,  got  the  better  of  him,  and  he 
begged  me  to  tell  him  all  about  myself,  swearing  never 
to  reveal  it  to  a  soul.  But  I  cleaved  to  my  determination ; 
all  I  would  tell  him  was  what  he  knew  already,  that  I 
was  a  penniless  orphan  bent  on  making  my  way  in  the 
world. 

Well,  one  evening,  when  I  returned  from  my  work  in 
the  fields,  I  found  him  waiting  for  me  with  excitement 
plainly  writ  on  his  open  face.  He  dragged  me  to  his 
outhouse,  and  having  shut  the  door,  said : 

"I  say,  Joe,  there's  a  storm  brewing,  and  we  may  need 
your  fists.  You  remember  I  told  you  about  my  cousin 
riding  over  from  Shrewsbury?  Well,  his  father  came 
to-day — Sir  Richard  Cludde,  a  big  red-faced  bully  of  a 
man.  He's  Lucy's  uncle,  you  know;  her  father  was  his 
brother,  and  they  quarreled,  and  hadn't  seen  each  other 
for  twenty  years.  But  now  he  declares  that  he  is  Lucy's 
legal  guardian ;  his  brother  died  suddenly  and  left  no  will, 
and  he  came  to-day  to  claim  her  as  his  ward.  Father 
wouldn't  hear  of  it ;  but  told  him  Lucy  had  been  brought 
here  by  the  express  command  of  her  father,  and  he  re- 
fused to  give  her  up.  The  squire  was  in  a  terrible  rage : 
'tis  said  he  has  fallen  on  evil  times,  and  is  set  on  getting 
a  hold  on  Lucy's  property  in  Jamaica,  and  making  a 
match  between  her  and  his  son  Dick — the  lubber  I  told 
you  of.  There  was  an  angry  scene  'twixt  him  and  father, 
you  could  have  heard  him  roaring  all  over  the  house, 
and  he  went  away  in  a  towering  passion,  swearing  that 
we'd  not  heard  the  last  of  it,  and  he'd  go  to  law,  and 
he'd  beat  us  even  though  it  cost  him  his  last  penny,  and 
more  to  the  same  effect.  Father  makes  light  of  it,  but 
I  know  he  is  uneasy :  he  has  been  several  times  of  late  to 


THE   SHUTTERED   COACH  95 

see  his  lawyer  in  Bridgenorth,  and  'tis  by  no  means  clear 
how  the  law  will  decide.  There  will  be  trouble,  for  Sir 
Richard  is  an  obstinate  man,  and  I'm  glad  you  are  here, 
for  we  are  not  going  to  let  Lucy  leave  us,  and  if  he  comes 
one  day  to  take  her  by  force  we'll  make  a  fight  for  it, 
Joe.  And  I'll  tell  you  what :  you  must  teach  me  how  to 
use  my  fists.  Shall  we  begin  now,  Joe?" 

I  smiled  at  his  eagerness,  and  though  I  was  tired  after 
my  day's  work  I  would  not  disappoint  him,  but  stripped 
off  my  coat,  and  then  and  there  began  his  instruction  in 
what  my  old  friend  the  captain  called  the  noble  art  of 
self-defense.  He  proved  an  apt  pupil,  and  I  a  conscien- 
tious teacher,  pleasing  myself  with  the  thought  that  by 
making  him  expert  in  boxing  I  was  maybe  gathering  in- 
terest on  Dick  Cludde's  crown-piece.  And  being  then 
of  the  age  when  romantic  ideas  get  some  hold  upon  a 
boy's  mind,  I  flattered  myself  also  that  by  staying  on  at 
the  Hall  I  became  in  some  sort  a  defender  of  fair  Lucy, 
Cludde,  who  was  far  too  good,  I  vowed,  for  that  pudding- 
headed  lubber  Dick. 

After  this  Roger  and  I  became  faster  friends  than  ever. 
We  had  constant  sparring-matches  and  some  practice 
also  with  single-stick  and  foils ;  and  Mr.  Jofhnson  would 
let  me  off  sometimes  of  an  afternoon  to  go  a-fishing  with 
the  boy.  Before  I  had  been  a  month  at  the  Hall  there 
were  few  likely  streams  for  miles  around  that  I  did  not 
know.  All  this  time  I  had  seen  very  little  of  the  other 
members  of  the  family.  Mr.  Allardyce  was  putting  me 
to  probation,  inquiring  of  my  diligence  from  Mr.  John- 
son, and  hearing  somewhat  of  me  from  his  son.  As  for 
Mistress  Lucy,  I  deliberately  avoided  her.  I  had  cut 
anything  but  an  heroic  figure  at  our  two  meetings,  and 
though  I  was  ready  to  engage  in  mortal  fray  as  her  cham- 
pion, the  recollection  of  my  abashment  before  her  caused 


96  HUMPHREY  BOLD 

me  to  hold  aloof.  She  and  Roger  would  sometimes  go 
riding  together,  and  I  thought  with  a  bitter  envy  that, 
but  for  the  misfortune  that  had  befallen  me,  I  might  have 
made  one  of  the  party,  though  in  truth  I  remembered,  a 
moment  afterwards,  that  but  for  this  same  misfortune  I 
should  very  likely  never  have  seen  her. 

Thus  matters  went  on  for  upwards  of  a  month.  My 
wages,  which  I  had  scrupulously  saved,  amounted  to 
something  above  twenty-five  shillings — enough  to  pay 
my  way  to  Bristowe.  There  was  no  reason  why  I  should 
remain  longer  at  the  Hall,  and  indeed  I  was  beginning  to 
grow  restive  under  my  servitude,  light  as  it  was,  and  to 
think  more  and  more  eagerly  of  my  interrupted  purpose. 
One  day,  therefore,  I  sought  an  interview  with  Mr.  Al- 
lardyce,  and  told  him  that  having  now  enough  money  for 
my  needs  I  wished  to  leave  his  service  and  set  forth  en 
my  way.  He  laughed  and  said : 

"I  wondered  how  long  'twould  go  on.  You  are  still 
bent  upon  your  travels,  then?" 

I  assured  him  that  such  was  the  case,  thanked  him  for 
his  kindness,  and  asked  to  be  allowed  to  go  on  the  fol- 
lowing Monday:  it  was  then  Friday. 

"Well,  Joe,"  says  he,  "I  won't  stay  you.  Mr.  Johnson 
has  given  me  good  reports  of  you,  and  as  for  Roger,  he 
is  never  tired  of  singing  your  praises.  According  to  him, 
you  are  a  past  master  in  exercises  of  arms,  and  I  confess 
I  had  hopes  you  would  give  up  your  scheme  and  return 
to  your  friends  and  take  the  position  you  were  clearly 
bred  for:  then  Roger  and  you  might  have  been  com- 
panions still.  But  'twas  not  to  be ;  very  well ;  on  Mon- 
day we  shall  bid  you  our  adieux,  and  we  shall  look  to  see 
you  some  day  when  you  have  made  a  name  for  yourself 
— which  to  be  sure  will  not  be  Joe." 

I  was  up  early  next  morning,  and  was  going  off  for 


THE   SHUTTERED!   COACH  97 

my  customary  swim  when,  on  crossing  a  stile,  I  saw  a 
figure  draw  back  into  a  coppice  bounding  the  field. 
Thinking  it  was  Roger  who  had  been  before  me,  I  called 
to  him,  but  receiving  no  answer,  and  wondering  who 
could  be  abroad  at  that  early  hour — for  the  men  of  the 
estate  were  engaged  in  their  duties  elsewhere — I  sprang 
down  and  strode  off  to  the  coppice,  moved  by  some  little 
curiosity.  But  though  I  walked  to  and  fro  among  the 
trees  for  some  time,  I  saw  no  one,  and  concluding  that 
it  was  probably  some  poacher  returning  home  from  his 
night's  work  I  went  on  to  the  bathing  place,  resolved  to 
give  a  hint  to  Mr.  Johnson. 

Roger  joined  me  presently,  with  a  glum  face. 

"Oh,  I  say,  Joe,"  he  said,  "this  is  deuced  bad  news. 
Father  says  you  are  leaving  us  on  Monday." 

"Yes,  I  have  been  here  long  enough,"  I  said. 

"Of  course,  I  didn't  expect  you  to  work  here  for  ever, 
but  I  did  think  you  would  change  your  mind  and  remain 
friends  with  me." 

"We  shall  always  be  friends,  you  and  I,  I  hope,"  I 
said,  "but  it  will  be  on  a  different  footing.  I  could  not 
work  here  for  ever,  as  you  say :  and  if  I  mean  to  do  any- 
thing in  the  world  'tis  time  I  set  about  it.  Maybe  five 
years  hence  I  shall  return,  and  you  will  not  be  ashamed 
to  own  me  for  a  friend." 

"Ashamed!  When  was  I  ever  ashamed?  Why,  we 
think  a  world  of  you,  father  and  mother  and  Lucy,  too. 
When  father  told  us  last  night,  they  were  sorry,  yet  glad, 
too,  I  own.  Mother  said  she  was  sure  you  would  get  on, 
and  I  know  you  will,  but  all  the  same  I  wish  you  were 
not  going.  I  say,  tell  me  your  real  name,  and  if  you 
have  a  bother  with  your  people  I'll  go  and  see  them,  I 
swear  I  will,  and  persuade  'em  to  forgive  you." 

How  surprised  he  would  have  been,  I  thought,  if  I 


98  HUMPHREY  BOLD) 

had  told  him  that  the  people  whom  I  had  not  wronged, 
but  who  had  done  me  wrong,  were  relatives  of  his  own ! 
But  I  would  not  tell  him,  and  when  we  had  finished  our 
swim  and  were  returning  to  the  house,  he  declared  that 
he  also  would  leave  home;  there  was  no  fun  in  being  a 
yeoman,  he  said :  and  if  a  fellow  like  Dick  Cludde  could 
be  an  officer  in  the  king's  navy,  so  could  he, — or  in  the 
army,  and  he  would  persuade  his  father  to  let  him  go,  by 
George  he  would !  And  he  asked  me  to  write  to  him,  so 
that  he  might  know  where  to  find  me  when  his  great 
plan  came  to  execution. 

On  Monday  morning  at  half-past  seven,  after  a  good 
breakfast,  I  was  at  the  gate,  girt  and  equipped  for  my 
journey.  The  poachers'  garments  had,  of  course,  long 
been  discarded,  and  I  was  clad  in  the  suit  of  serviceable 
homespun  obtained  for  me  from  Bridgenorth  in  the  first 
days  of  my  service,  and  now  but  little  the  worse  for  wear. 
All  the  family  was  at  the  gate  to  bid  me  farewell,  even 
Mistress  Lucy,  in  her  riding  habit,  for  she  was  wont  to 
go  for  an  hour's  canter  on  fine  mornings,  before  break- 
fast at  half-past  eight.  The  adieux  were  said ;  all  wished 
me  well;  Mr.  Allardyce,  as  a  parting  shot,  said  that  I 
should  always  find  a  job  on  his  estate  if  I  fell  in  with 
more  poachers,  or  if  my  fortunes  at  Bristowe  did  not  turn 
out  to  my  liking;  and  then,  my  heart  warm  with  their 
kindness,  I  set  off  up  the  road. 

Six  or  seven  miles  lay  between  me  and  the  highroad 
to  Bristowe  through  Worcester  and  Gloucester,  but  I 
knew  of  a  short  cut  four  miles  from  the  Hall,  which 
would  bring  me  into  the  road  at  the  turnpike  at  Deux- 
hill,  some  way  farther  south,  and  save  a  good  three 
miles  of  the  road.  I  had  learned  of  this  short  cut  in  the 
course  of  my  fishing  expeditions  with  Roger ;  it  was  the 
nearest  way  to  the  Borle  Brook,  where  our  angling  had 


THE   SHUTTERED  COACH  99 

ever  the  best  success — a  narrow  track  striking  off  to  the 
right,  very  rutty  and  rough,  bordered  by  hedges,  and 
uphill  but  not  steep. 

I  had  tramped  three  miles  or  more,  at  a  good  pace, 
when  I  heard  galloping  horses  behind  me,  and  the  rumble 
of  wheels.  Turning  about,  I  saw  a  coach  drawn  by  three 
horses,  with  a  postilion  on  the  leader,  approaching  at  a 
great  rate,  jolting  and  swaying  in  a  manner  that  bespoke 
desperate  haste. 

I  stood  aside  to  let  it  pass,  holding  my  nose  against 
the  whirling  dust-cloud  it  raised,  and  giving  it  but  a 
glance  as  it  rattled  by.  The  shutters  were  up;  I  could 
not  see  whether  it  held  anybody ;  and  when  it  had  passed 
I  again  took  the  middle  of  the  road,  wondering  idly  what 
necessity  there  might  be  for  so  great  speed.  Only  a  min- 
ute or  two  afterwards  I  heard  a  light  patter  close  at  my 
heels,  and  looking  back  without  stopping,  I  was  surprised 
to  see  the  big  black  retriever  which  belonged  to  Mis- 
tress Lucy,  and  with  which,  since  my  first  meeting  with 
him  in  the  garden,  I  had  been  on  friendly  terms.  The 
dog  uttered  a  low  bark  when  he  recognized  me,  fawned 
upon  me,  and  then  set  off  running  ahead.  I  noticed  now 
that  the  beast  left  a  thin  trail  of  blood  on  the  ground. 
He  had  not  run  far  when  he  stopped,  turned  round,  and 
barked  as  if  to  invite  me  on,  not  waiting,  however,  to 
see  whether  I  responded. 

For  a  moment  I  was  too  much  taken  up  with  wonder- 
ing by  what  mishap  the  dog  had  been  wounded  to  connect 
his  appearance,  and  his  evident  wish  to  urge  me  on,  with 
the  coach  that  had  lately  passed.  But  then  the  connec- 
tion struck  upon  me  in  a  flash,  and  I  began  to  run  with  all 
my  might.  The  dog  had  doubtless  accompanied  his  mis- 
tress on  her  morning  ride;  he  could  only  have  been 
wounded  in  defending  her ;  she  must  have  been  waylaid, 


ioo  HUMPHREY  BOLE> 

and,  thought  linking  itself  with!  thought,  I  guessed  that 
Sir  Richard  Cludde  had  taken  this  means  of  asserting 
his  claim  to  her  guardianship,  and  the  man  I  had  seen 
in  the  coppice  a  few  days  before  was  an  emissary  of  his. 
Without  a  doubt  she  was  now  a  prisoner  in  the  coach, 
being  carried  against  her  will  to  Shrewsbury. 

The  road  here  ran  steeply  downhill,  and  the  coach 
was  out  of  sight  round  a  bend.  Without  pausing  to  con- 
sider the  chances  of  overtaking  it,  I  leapt  rather  than 
ran  forward,  soon  outstripping  the  dog,  which  had  done 
his  best,  poor  beast,  but  was  now  nell-nigh  exhausted. 
I  flung  away  my  staff,  that  encumbered  me,  and  tore 
headlong  down  the  hill,  till,  coming  to  the  bend,  where 
the  road  sloped  upwards,  I  caught  sight  once  more  of 
the  coach,  no  more  than  half  a  mile  ahead  of  me.  This 
surprised  me,  for  neither  the  ascent  nor  my  speed  could 
account  for  its  nearness,  and  I  wondered,  as  I  pounded 
after  it,  whether  I  had  after  all  been  mistaken. 

But  the  matter  was  explained  when  I  came  to  the  inn 
that  stood  at  the  point  where  my  short  cut  branched 
off.  I  saw  wheel-tracks  to  the  right,  crossed  by  similar 
tracks  back  again  to  the  road,  and  I  guessed  that  the 
postilion  had  intended  to  drive  his  horses  down  the  by- 
road, but  having  found  it  too  rough  or  too  narrow  had 
been  compelled  to  return,  even  at  the  cost  of  loss  of  time 
in  backing.  My  heart  leapt  with  exultation ;  the  kidnap- 
pers were  not  making  for  Shrewsbury  after  all ;  they  pur- 
posed driving  southward,  with  what  design  I  could  not 
guess,  nor  did  I  stop  to  consider,  for  in  a  twinkling  I 
saw  a  possibility  of  intercepting  them.  Dashing  into 
the  inn,  much  to  the  amazement  of  the  inn-keeper,  who 
had  sometimes  served  Roger  and  me  with  a  pot  of  ale 
as  we  returned  from  fishing,  I  told  him  my  suspicions  in 
quick,  breathless  gasps,  and  bade  him  send  to  Mr.  Allar- 


THE   SHUTTERED   COACH  101 

dyce  for  assistance,  and  to  follow  me,  if  He  could,  along 
the  by-road  to  Deuxhill.  The  man  was  not  too  quick- 
witted, and  I  could  have  beaten  him  for  his  slowness  to 
comprehend  the  urgency  of  the  affair.  But  some  glim- 
mering of  it  dawning  upon  him,  he  promised  to  borrow  a 
horse  from  Farmer  Grubb  close  by,  he  having  none  of 
his  own,  and  to  send  a  messenger  back  to  the  Hall.  With- 
out further  parley  I  left  him,  and  set  off  along  the  by- 
road, scarce  giving  a  glance  to  the  poor  dog  limping 
painfully  towards  the  inn. 


CHAPTER  XI 

I  HOLD  A  TURNPIKE 

Could  I  reach  the  turnpike  in  time  ?  I  wondered.  I  had 
lost  perhaps  three  minutes  at  the  inn.  The  coach  must 
already  have  reached  the  cross-roads,  and  was  now,  with- 
out doubt,  speeding  southward  on  a  course  parallel  with 
my  own,  but  downhill,  whereas  the  by-road,  though 
shorter,  was  for  the  most  part  uphill,  and  so  rough  that 
I  risked  spraining  my  ankle  on  a  stone  or  in  a  rut.  And 
even  supposing  I  gained  the  turnpike  before  the  coach, 
would  the  keeper  be  persuaded  to  close  his  gates  against 
a  three-horsed  vehicle  on  the  highway?  I  knew  the 
man,  and  luckily  had  done  him  a  slight  service  which 
perchance  he  would  be  willing  to  repay.  Once,  when 
Roger  and  I  had  gone  to  the  Borle  Brook  to  fish,  we 
came  upon  a  little  girl  some  five  years  old  sitting  by  the 
brink,  weeping  bitterly.  One  foot  was  bare,  her  little 
shoe  was  floating  down  the  stream,  she  had  lost  her- 
self, and  was  so  frightened  that  it  was  long  before  we 
could  make  out  from  her  sobbing  answers  to  our  ques- 
tions that  she  was  daughter  to  the  turnpike  man.  Then 
Roger  rescued  her  shoe,  and  I  set  her  aloft  on  my  shoul- 
der, to  her  great  contentment,  and  she  was  laughing  mer- 
rily when  we  reached  the  turnpike,  and  gave  her  into  the 
hands  of  her  distracted  mother.  Remembering  this,  I 
raced  on  at  my  best  speed,  resolved,  if  only  I  arrived  in 
time,  to  turn  this  little  incident  to  account. 

It  did  but  add  to  my  anxiety  that  the  highroad  was 

102 


I   HOLD   A   TURNPIKE  '103 

nowhere  visible  to  me  as  I  ran,  so  that  I  could  not  meas- 
ure my  progress  with  that  of  the  coach,  but  was  forced 
to  go  on  at  the  same  break-neck  pace,  not  daring  to 
moderate  it  in  any  degree.  And  I  could  almost  have 
cried  with  vexation  when  that  plaguy  stitch  in  the  side 
seized  me,  and  I  had  to  stand  a  while  to  recover  my 
breath.  Then  I  raced  on  again,  desperately  anxious  to 
make  up  for  the  lost  time.  My  work  upon  the  Hall 
estate,  and  my  exercise  with  Roger,  had  kept  my  body  in 
good  condition:  yet  to  run  for  four  miles  or  more  at  a 
stretch  with  the  mind  in  a  ferment  would  tax  any  man, 
and  by  the  time  I  came  in  sight  of  the  turnpike  I  was 
fairly  overdone,  dripping  with  sweat — 'twas  a  sunny  day 
in  July — and  trembling  in  every  limb.  And  then  I  heard, 
or  fancied  I  heard,  the  rattle  of  the  coach  on  my  left, 
and  I  picked  up  my  heels  and  scampered  along  the  last 
half-mile  at  a  pace  which,  in  other  circumstances,  I  should 
have  deemed  impossible,  the  loose  stones  flying  from  be- 
neath my  feet. 

I  emerged  upon  the  highroad,  threw  a  glance  over  my 
left  shoulder,  and  gave  a  great  gasp  of  relief  when  I 
spied  the  coach  plunging  down  the  road,  but  nearly  a 
mile  distant.  I  had  had  no  clear  notion  of  what  I  was 
going  to  do  beyond  attempting  to  keep  the  gate  closed, 
and  now  I  realized  with  a  sinking  heart  that,  even  if  I 
should  succeed  therein,  the  coach  could  scarcely  be  de- 
layed long  enough  for  help  to  arrive.  But  certainly  that 
was  the  first  step,  and  I  dashed  straight  into  the  keeper's 
cottage,  the  door  of  which  stood  open,  and  found  Mistress 
Peabody,  his  wife,  paring  potatoes  at  the  table,  her  little 
girl  by  her  side. 

"Where  is  Peabody?"  I  blurted  out. 

"Sakes  alive !"  cried  the  woman,  "but  you  did  give  me 
a  start.  Whatever  be  amiss  ?" 


104  HUMPHREY   BOLD 

What  more  I  said  I  know  not,  but  at  my  demand  that 
she  should  refuse  to  open  the  gate  for  the  coming  coach 
the  poor  bewildered  soul  dropped  her  potatoes  and  de- 
clared she  could  never  do  it ;  'twould  cause  terrible  trouble 
with  Peabody,  and  maybe  bring  about  his  dismissal  by 
the  justices,  and  where  he  was  she  did  not  know,  and  she 
had  told  him  many  a  time  he  would  get  into  a  coil  if  he 
Jeft  his  duty  and  went  so  often  to  the  King  William 
a-fuddling  himself  with— 

"For  God's  sake,  woman,"  I  broke  in,  exasperated, 
"take  the  child  into  the  garden  and  leave  it  to  me." 

I  fairly  pushed  her  out  at  the  back  door,  the  little  girl 
clinging  to  her  skirts,  terrified  at  my  appearance  and  the 
fierceness  of  my  words.  I  shut  the  door  upon  them, 
whipped  the  key  of  the  gate  from  its  nail  on  the  wall, 
flung  it  into  the  pan  of  water  among  the  potatoes,  and 
then,  a  desperate  expedient  coming  into  my  mind,  saun- 
tered leisurely  out  of  the  front  door,  picking  up  as  I 
passed  a  stick  of  wood  from  among  a  heap  with  which 
the  child  had  been  playing  on  the  floor. 

I  climbed  the  gate,  and  sat  upon  the  topmost  bar,  with 
my  feet  on  the  third.  Then,  having  pulled  the  broad  brim 
of  my  hat  down  over  my  eyes,  I  took  out  my  clasp-knife 
(it  had  been  given  me  a  few  days  before  by  Roger  as  a 
memento)  and  began  to  whittle  the  stick,  whistling  a  dole- 
ful tune. 

The  coach  was  by  this  time  within  a  hundred  yards 
of  me. 

"Gate !  gate !"  shouted  the  postilion,  but  I  paid  no  heed. 
There  was  now  a  man  on  the  box ;  I  suppose  he  had  been 
picked  up  at  the  cross-roads.  He  joined  his  cry  to  the 
postilion's,  and  together  they  roared  "Gate !"  with  many 
imprecations  of  the  kind  that  men  who  deal  with  horses 
have  at  command.  But  I  still  went  on  whittling  my  stick, 


I   HOLD   A   TURNPIKE  105 

not  without  some  feeling  of  insecurity,  for  the  coach  was 
approaching-  at  a  furious  speed,  and  it  seemed  impossible 
that  the  postilion  could  draw  up  in  time  to  prevent  the 
horses  from  dashing  themselves  against  the  barrier.  He 
accomplished  that  feat,  however,  and  the  leading  horse 
came  to  a  standstill  within  little  more  than  a  foot  of  me ;  I 
could  feel  its  hot  breath  on  my  hand.  Like  the  other  two, 
it  was  covered  with  foam,  and  their  sides  were  heaving 
like  a  bellows. 

"Gate!"  roared  the  postilion,  looking  in  at  the  open 
door,  and  receiving  no  reply  he  turned  his  head  towards 
me  and  demanded  with  an  oath  to  know  where  the  turn- 
pike-keeper was. 

"He  bin  gone  out,"  I  said,  in  the  broadest  Shropshire 
accent  I  could  muster. 

"The  mischief  he  is!  Who  be  in  charge  of  the  gate 
then?" 

"Me." 

Sputtering  with  wrath  the  postilion  cursed  me  and  de- 
manded to  know  what  I  meant  by  sitting  a-top  when 
travelers  wished  to  pass  through.  I  assumed  the  vacant 
grin  that  rustics  wear,  and  said : 

"The  toll  be  tuppence,  measter." 

"Here  it  is,"  says  the  man,  flinging  the  coins  on  the 
ground,  "and  be  hanged  to  you." 

I  descended  from  my  perch  (the  man  abusing  me  for 
my  slowness),  picked  up  the  money,  and  went  into  the 
cottage  as  if  to  get  the  key. 

"Be  quick  about  it,"  roared  the  postilion  after  me. 

"Coming,  measter,"  I  replied,  sitting  on  the  table,  out 
of  his  sight.  In  a  little  he  cried  to  me  again : 

"What  be  doin'  of?    Stir  your  stumps,  I  say." 

"Coming,  measter,"  says  I,  knocking  my  knife  against 
the  potato  pan  to  signify  bustle.  The  man's  language 


io6  HUMPHREY   BOLD 

grew  more  and  more  violent  as  the  minutes  passed  and 
still  I  did  not  reappear,  until,  having  consumed  as  much 
time  as  I  thought  becoming,  I  went  to  the  doorway,  and 
said,  in  the  manner  of  stating  a  simple  fact  of  no  im- 
portance, 

"Key  binna  hangin'  on  nail,  measter.  The  nail  be 
proper  plaace  for  it :  can  ya  tell  me  where  to  look  ?" 

My  drawling  tone  seemed  to  incense  the  man  to  the 
verge  of  apoplexy.  Hurling  abuse  at  me,  he  ended  with 
a  threat  to  horsewhip  me  within  an  inch  of  my  life  if  I 
did  not  instantly  find  the  key  and  open  the  gate.  At  this 
I  shrank  back,  putting  up  my  hands  to  guard  my  head 
with  great  affectation  of  terror,  and  withdrew  once  more 
into  the  cottage.  As  I  did  so,  I  heard  the  shutters  on  the 
far  side  of  the  coach  let  down,  and  a  voice  demanding 
the  reason  of  the  delay. 

"The  pudding-headed  scut  can  not  find  the  key,  sir." 

"Tell  him,"  said  the  voice  in  a  louder  tone  (and  I  tin- 
gled as  I  recognized  it) — "tell  him  that  if  he  keeps  us 
waiting  another  minute  we  will  break  the  gate  down." 

I  laughed  inwardly  at  this  foolish  threat.  The  gate 
was  a  stout  barrier,  that  would  do  more  damage  than  it 
could  receive  from  any  attempt  of  theirs. 

"Bring  out  the  key,  rascal,"  roared  the  postilion  again. 

"An'  you  please,  measter,"  says  I,  appearing  in  the 
doorway,  "I  be  afeared  the  key  bin  lost." 

Then  the  man  on  the  box  scrambled  down,  and  ran  into 
the  cottage.  With  him  I  hunted  in  every  nook  and  corner 
of  the  room,  and  there  being  no  sign  of  the  key  we  went 
out,  and  to  the  other  side  of  the  coach,  and  there  I  heard 
the  coach-door  open,  and  the  voice  cried : 

"Hold  the  leader,  Jabez ;  and  you,  Tom,  go  to  the  wheel- 
ers' heads.  I'll  blow  in  the  cursed  lock  with  my  pistol." 

Slipping  back  so  that  I  might  not  be  seen,  I  peeped 


I   HOLE  A  TURNPIKE  107 

through  the  window  and  saw  Cyrus  Vetch,  pistol  in  hand, 
moving  towards  the  gate.  Here  I  was  in  a  wretched 
quandary.  I  glanced  anxiously  up  the  road:  there  was 
never  a  sign  of  Mr.  Allardyce  or  any  other  pursuer.  To 
blow  in  the  lock  would  be  the  work  of  a  second:  then 
nothing  I  could  do  would  prevent  the  coach  from  passing 
through  and  getting  clean  away.  I  was  ready  to  despair 
when  a  possible  means  of  checkmate  flashed  into  my 
mind.  Vetch  was  within  a  yard  of  the  gate;  his  two 
men  were  at  the  horses'  heads,  to  hold  them  when  the 
report  of  the  pistol  came ;  their  eyes  were  fixed  on  their 
master.  As  lightly  as  I  could  (my  boots  being  heavy,  as 
the  long  service  required  of  them  demanded)  I  darted 
through  the  doorway,  my  right  hand  clasping  my  knife, 
hid  behind  my  back.  Running  to  the  side  of  the  horse 
nearest  me  I  set-to  a-hacking  with  all  my  strength  at  the 
leathern  trace.  Thank  Heaven  my  knife  was  new  and 
unblunted !  But  I  had  not  succeeded  in  cutting  the 
leather  through  when  the  pistol  cracked  and  the  lock 
burst.  The  startled  horses  immediately  began  to  rear 
and  plunge,  so  violently  that  the  single  man  at  the  wheel- 
ers' heads  could  not  hold  them.  Vetch  ran  to  assist  him ; 
none  of  them  had  noticed  that  the  violence  of  the  horses' 
straining  had  completed  my  unfinished  work:  the  trace 
snapped  in  two. 

Pulling  itself  free  the  horse  swung  round,  and  plunged 
more  violently  than  before,  keeping  the  man  Tom  em- 
ployed and  serving  also  to  screen  me  from  view.  Now 
was  my  opportunity.  I  wrenched  open  the  shuttered 
door,  and  saw  a  man  leaning  with  his  body  out  of  the 
other  door,  watching  the  movements  of  Vetch.  And  be- 
tween us,  shrinking  back  on  the  seat,  was  Mistress  Lucy. 
She  turned  her  head  as  I  pulled  the  door  open,  and  hold- 
ing on  to  it  to  preserve  my  balance,  for  the  coach  was  be- 


io8  HUMPHREY   BOLD 

ing  swerved  this  way  and  that  by  the  frantic  horses,  I 
whispered : 

"  Tis  I,  Mistress  Lucy:  jump  out!" 

And  quick  as  thought — 'tis  a  blessing  when  a  woman's 
wits  are  keen — she  made  one  spring  for  t!he  roadway, 
by  a  hair's  breadth  eluding  the  grasp  of  Dick  Cludde, 
who  had  turned  about  at  my  whisper.  I  caught  the  girl 
as  she  touched  the  ground,  and,  pulling  her  away  from 
the  wheel,  just  in  time  to  save  her  foot  from  being 
crushed  by  it,  I  seized  her  hand,  and  dragged  her — willing 
captive! — towards  the  doorway.  I  pushed  her  into  the 
cottage,  with  a  roughness  for  which  I  afterwards  asked 
her  pardon,  and  hastened  in  after  her.  Before  I  could 
close  and  bolt  the  door  I  heard  a  crash  and  a  cry  of  pain, 
and  caught  a  glmpse  of  Cludde,  who,  in  leaping  from  the 
coach,  had  fallen  awry  and  lay  sprawling  in  the  dust. 
Then  I  shut  him  from  sight  and  ran  to  the  other  door,  by 
which  Mistress  Peabody  had  gone  into  the  garden.  This 
I  slammed  and  barred,  dashing  afterwards  to  the  window 
to  do  the  like  with  it.  Luckily  it  was  already  fastened, 
and  I  was  hastily  drawing  the  shutters  over  it,  when 
Vetch,  his  face  livid  with  passion,  came  up  to  it,  drove 
his  pistol  through  the  glass,  and  threatened  to  shoot  me 
if  I  did  not  instantly  unbolt  the  door. 

I  have  always  had  reason  to  thank  Heaven  that  my 
brain  is  quickest  and  my  resolution  most  cool  at  the  mo- 
ments of  greatest  stress.  Vetch  had  fired  his  pistol 
through  the  lock  of  the  turnpike  gate;  being  busy  with 
the  horse  he  had  certainly  not  had  time  to  re-charge  it, 
nor  to  get  another ;  so  I  thought  that  I  might  safely  defy 
him.  Whispering  to  Mistress  Lucy  to  find  some  hiding- 
place  in  the  cottage  out  of  view  from  the  window,  I  stood 
with  my  hand  on  the  shutter,  and  said : 

"What  will  you  do  if  I  yield?" 


I   HOLD  A  TURNPIKE  109 

The  answer  was  the  heavy  pistol,  hurled  straight  at 
my  head.  It  struck  my  temple  and  fell  with  a  crash  to 
the  floor.  I  gave  back  a  little,  half  stunned  by  the  blow, 
and  Vetch  seized  that  moment  to  smash  another  pane  of 
the  window,  preparing  to  leap  on  the  sill  and  into  the 
room.  But  I  had  sufficient  strength  to  anticipate  him. 
Throwing  my  whole  weight  on  the  shutter  I  drove  it  into 
its  place,  taking  a  certain  pleasure  in  the  knowledge  that 
I  had  at  least  bruised  the  fellow's  knuckles.  Then  I 
dropped  the  bar  into  its  socket,  and  in  the  half-darkness 
called  to  Mistress  Lucy  that  all  was  well. 

Immediately  there  began  a  heavy  battering  on  the  door, 
but  not  so  heavy  but  that  through  it  I  heard  Cludde  order 
his  men  to  splice  the  broken  trace.  Twas  lucky  it  was 
so,  for  had  all  four  of  them  come  with  one  mind  to  force 
my  frail  defences,  the  brief  siege  would,  I  fear,  have  had 
but  a  sorry  end.  The  door  was  a  stout  one,  and  finding  it 
resisted  their  blows,  Vetch  and  Cludde  soon  desisted,  and 
I  supposed  that  they  had  withdrawn  altogether.  But 
after  a  short  interval,  a  violent  crash  on  the  back  door, 
which  was  of  much  slighter  timber,  warned  me  that  I 
must  still  be  prepared  to  fight  against  heavy  odds.  I 
looked  round  for  Mistress  Lucy :  she  was  standing  beside 
an  oaken  clothes-press,  the  largest  article  of  furniture  in 
the  room. 

"Help  will  come,  I  hope,"  I  said  to  her ;  "if  not,  I  can 
keep  them  at  bay,  and  I  will." 

A  moment  after  I  had  spoken,  I  heard  a  shout  from 
the  road.  The  blows  upon  the  door  ceased ;  I  caught  the 
sound  of  scurrying  feet,  and  running  to  the  window,  I 
unbarred  the  shutter  and  opened  it  so  that  I  might  glance 
out.  The  coach  was  moving:  the  postilion  was  in  the 
saddle,  the  other  man  was  on  the  box.  It  passed  through 
the  gate :  the  horses  were  lashed  to  a  gallop,  and  the  equi- 


no  HUMPHREY  BOLD 

page  disappeared  down  the  road  in  a  cloud  of  dust.  Fling- 
ing the  shutter  wide,  I  craned  my  neck  out  of  the  broken 
panes  and  looked  in  the  other  direction.  Not  half  a  mile 
away  three  horsemen  were  pressing  a  gallop  towards  us. 

"You  are  safe,"  I  said,  turning  to  the  girl. 

She  came  eagerly  to  my  side,  and  in  another  minute 
the  horsemen — the  inn-keeper  and  two  men  whom  I  did 
not  know — leapt  from  their  saddles  when  I  hailed  them, 
and  came  to  ask  if  all  was  well. 


CHAPTER  XII 

I  COME  TO  BRISTOWE — AND  LEAVE  UNWILLINGLY 

The  presence  of  the  inn-keeper  and  his  friends — a 
neighboring  farmer  and  one  of  his  sons:  another  son 
had  ridden  to  acquaint  Mr.  Allardyce  at  the  Hall  of  the 
kidnapping — relieved  me  of  a  certain  embarrassment  I 
felt,  now  that  the  stress  and  excitement  were  over.  As 
yet  Mistress  Lucy  had  spoken  scarce  a  word ;  but  she  had 
looked  at  me  with  great  kindness,  and  I  knew  that  she 
was  but  waiting  for  an  opportunity  to  thank  me  for  the 
service  I  had  rendered  her.  With  the  shy  awkwardness 
of  my  age  I  wished  to  avoid  this,  and  so  I  willingly  re- 
lated to  the  inn-keeper  all  that  had  occurred,  and  had 
barely  ended  when  Peabody  came  back  in  haste  from 
Glazeley,  where  I  fear  he  had  been  fuddling  himself  as 
his  wife  had  suggested.  To  him  the  story  had  to  be  told 
over  again,  I  meanwhile  itching  to  get  away  before  Mr. 
Allardyce  could  arrive.  When  I  announced  my  determi- 
nation to  proceed  at  once  on  my  journey  there  was  a 
great  outcry  from  the  men:  would  I  not  wait  and  see 
the  'Squire  and  be  suitably  rewarded?  Mistress  Lucy 
herself,  Who  had  remained  in  the  cottage  while  we  con- 
versed outside,  came  to  the  door  at  this  point  of  our  dis- 
cussion, and  with  bright  color  in  her  cheeks  beckoned 
me  and  asked  whether  I  would  not  stay  until  her  uncle's 
arrival.  But  my  mind  was  made  up. 

"You  are  in  safe  hands,"  I  said,  "and  I  have  far  to  go." 
"I  shall  not  forget  what  you  have  done  for  me, — Joe," 
in 


112  HUMPHREY   BOLD 

she  said,  and  for  the  second  time  gave  me  her  little  hand. 
I  could  say  nothing,  but  when  I  was  once  more  upon  the 
road  I  thought  of  her  kind  look  and  manner,  and  glowed 
with  a  deep  contentment. 

I  had  not  walked  above  a  mile  when  I  heard  a  gallop- 
ing horse  behind  me,  and  Roger's  clear  voice  calling  me 
by  name.  I  halted,  and  he  sprang  from  the  saddle  and 
caught  me  by  the  hand. 

"By  George !  'twas  mighty  fine  of  you,  Joe,"  he  cried, 
with  kindling  eyes.  "I'll  break  Dick  Cludde's  head  for 
him,  I  will,  if  ever  I  see  him  again.  Who  was  the  other 
villain  ?  Lucy  says  there  were  two." 

"  'Twas — "  I  began,  but  suddenly  bit  my  lip ;  if  I  named 
Cyrus  Vetch  my  own  secret,  which  I  had  so  carefully 
guarded,  would  soon  be  known,  and  I  was  resolved  (may- 
be without  reason)  that  they  should  not  know  me  as 
Humphrey  Bold  until  I  had  done  somewhat  to  win  credit 
for  the  name.  "  'Twas  a  long  weasel-faced  fellow,"  I 
said,  after  so  slight  a  pause  that  it  escaped  Roger's  per- 
ception. 

"And  weasels  are  vermin,"  cried  Roger,  "and  he  has 
killed  Lucy's  dog!  But  come,  Joe,  what  nonsense  is 
this!  Father  insists  that  you  shall  come  back;  he  de- 
clares this  trudging  to  Bristowe  is  sheer  fooling,  and 
had  already  got  half  a  dozen  fine  schemes  in  his  head  for 
you.  Mount  behind  me,  man:  the  mare  will  carry  you 
though  you  are  a  monster ;  come  back  and  we'll  be  sworn 
brothers." 

I  confess  the  boy's  generosity  touched  me,  and  the  offer 
was  tempting;  but  I  steeled  my  soul  against  it,  and, 
strange  as  it  may  seem,  'twas  the  remembrance  of  Mis- 
tress Lucy  that  put  an  end  to  all  wavering.  Once  I  had 
had  no  higher  aim  than  to  win  Captain  Galsworthy's 
praise;  now  I  felt — but  dimly — that  I  would  endure  the 


I  COME  TO   BRISTOWE  113 

toils  of  Hercules  to  win  a  lady's  favor.  'Twas  the  bud- 
ding of  young  love  within  me — and  I  never  knew  that  a 
lad  was  any  the  worse  for  it. 

So  I  thanked  Roger  as  warmly  as  I  might,  but  held 
to  my  purpose  against  all  his  reasons.  The  boy  was  im- 
pulsive and  quick-tempered,  and  finding  me  obdurate 
after  ten  minutes'  battery  of  argument,  he  flung  away  in 
a  huff,  got  up  into  the  saddle,  and  bidding  me  go  hang 
for  an  obstinate  mule  he  galloped  back  to  the  turnpike. 

And  so  I  set  my  face  once  more  for  the  south.  Miss- 
ing my  staff,  which  I  had  thrown  away  in  my  haste,  I 
cut  myself  a  large  hazel  switch  from  a  copse  by  the  road- 
side, promising  myself  a  stouter  weapon  when  I  should 
arrive  at  a  town. 

My  heart  was  light:  had  I  not  begun  to  pay  Dick 
Cludde  interest  on  his  crown-piece?  I  was  inexpressibly 
glad  that  I  had  been  able  to  defeat  his  outrageous 
scheme,  and  thinking  of  this,  I  wondered  why  he  had 
driven  southward  instead  of  to  his  father's  house  beyond 
Shrewsbury.  My  conjecture  was  that,  knowing  what  a 
hue  and  cry  Mr.  Allardyce  would  raise  if  he  believed  his 
niece  had  been  conveyed  thither,  the  Cluddes  had  ar- 
ranged to  remove  her  to  a  distance  until  the  legal  matter 
then  pending  should  have  been  decided  in  their  favor. 
I  remembered  hearing  Dick  once  speak  of  some  relatives 
at  Worcester,  and  in  all  likelihood  that  had  been  his  des- 
tination. To  have  encountered  me  within  so  few  miles 
of  Shrewsbury  must  have  mightily  surprised  him.  He 
had  known  of  my  intention  in  setting  out ;  'twas  common 
talk  in  Shrewsbury;  and,  having  passed  me  at  Harley 
near  two  months  before  this,  must  have  supposed  (if  he 
thought  of  me  at  all)  that  I  had  long  since  reached  my 
destination.  What  he  would  infer  now  I  did  not  trouble 
to  consider,  and  as  he  was  to  have  rejoined  his  ship 


H4  HUMPHREY   BOLD 

about  this  time,  I  did  not  expect  any  news  of  my  adven- 
ture would  be  carried  back  to  Shrewsbury.  It  crossed 
my  mind  that  he  might  possibly  seek  to  waylay  me  on 
the  road  and  take  vengeance  for  his  discomfiture,  but 
reflecting  that  he  would  scarcely  suppose  my  journey, 
interrupted  for  so  long,  would  be  resumed  at  once,  I  was 
in  nowise  disquieted ;  only  I  resolved  again  to  buy  a  stout 
cudgel,  to  have  a  weapon  in  case  of  need. 

By  noon  I  arrived  at  Bewdley,  where,  being  mighty 
hungry,  I  made  a  good  dinner  of  beef  and  cabbage  at  an 
inn.  When  I  started  again,  I  had  the  good  luck  to  get  a 
lift  in  a  farmer's  gig,  which  carried  me  for  several  miles, 
so  that  I  reached  Worcester  without  difficulty  that  night. 
After  a  sound  sleep  at  the  Ram's  Head  I  sallied  out, 
bought  a  fine  staff  of  knobby  oak  at  a  shop  in  the  High 
Street,  and  after  viewing  the  outside  of  the  cathedral 
(the  doors  were  not  yet  open)  a  building  that  surpassed 
in  beauty  anything  that  I  had  before  seen,  I  set  off  for 
Gloucester. 

No  mischance,  nor  indeed  any  incident  of  note,  befell 
me  during  the  remainder  of  my  journey.  I  passed  the 
next  night  in  a  wagon,  swaddled  in  a  load  of  fresh  mown 
hay,  the  driver  with  rustic  friendliness  inviting  me  to 
keep  him  company  on  his  dark  journey.  On  the  third 
night  after  my  departure  from  the  Hall  I  trudged, 
weary  and  footsore,  into  Bristowe,  and  sought  a  bed  at 
the  White  Hart  in  Old  Market  Street,  this  tavern  having 
been  recommended  to  me  by  the  friendly  hay-cart  man. 

Next  day,  when  I  went  out  to  view  the  city  of  which 
I  had  heard  so  much,  I  was  struck  with  wonderment, 
not  merely  at  its  size,  wherein  it  dwarfed  Shrewsbury 
and  all  the  towns  through  which  I  had  passed,  but  at  its 
noise  and  bustle.  Shrewsbury  was  a  sleepy  old  town, 
.where  life  went  on  very  placidly  from  day  to  day,  and 


I   COME   TO   BRISTOWE  115 

the  sight  of  these  busy,  though  narrow,  streets  with 
their  many  fine  buildings  and  their  swarms  of  people, 
the  dogs  drawing  little  carts  of  merchandise,  the  river 
with  its  bridges,  the  floating  basin  with  many  tall  ships, 
the  quays  thronged  with  sailors  and  lightermen,  filled  me 
not  only  with  wonder,  but  with  a  sense  of  loneliness  and 
insignificance.  Among  all  these  folk,  intent  upon  their 
various  occupations,  what  place  was  there  for  me,  I  won- 
dered? I  got  in  the  way  of  a  line  of  men  on  the  quay 
side  carrying  large  bales  which  I  presumed  had  been 
unloaded  from  a  ship  there  moored.  One  of  them  hus- 
tled me  violently  aside,  another  made  a  coarse  jest  upon 
me,  and,  raw  and  inexperienced  as  I  was,  bewildered  by 
the  strangeness  of  it  all,  I  felt  a  sinking  at  the  heart,  and 
questioned  for  the  first  time  whether  I  had  been  wise  in 
forsaking  the  scenes  I  knew  and  venturing  unbefriended 
into  this  outpost  of  the  great  world. 

I  was  standing  apart,  gazing  at  the  shipping,  when  an 
old,  weather-beaten  sailor,  smoking  a  black  pipe,  came 
up  and  accosted  me. 

"Lost  your  bearings,  matey  ?"  he  said  in  a  very  hoarse 
voice, .which  yet  had  a  tone  of  friendliness.  No  doubt  I 
looked  foolish,  for  I  knew  no  more  than  the  dead  what 
he  meant.  "Lor'  bless  you,"  he  went  on,  "I  knows  all 
about  it.  Tis  fifty  year  since  I  made  a  course  for  that 
'ere  port  from  Selwood  way,  and  I  stood  like  a  stuck  pig 
— like  as  you  be  standing  now.  Be  you  out  o'  Zummer- 
zet,  like  me?" 

I  told  him  I  came  from  Shrewsbury. 

"Never  heard  tell  of  it,"  he  said,  "but  seemingly  they 
grow  high  in  those  parts.  And  what  made  ye  steer  for 
Bristowe,  if  I  might  ask?" 

Mr.  Vetch  had  warned  me  against  confiding  in 
strangers ;  but  there  was  something  so  honest  in  the  old 


li6  HUMPHREY  BOLD 

seaman's  look  that  I,  who  have  rarely  been  wrong  in 
my  instinctive  judgment  of  men,  determined  to  trust 
him,  and  told  him  so  much  of  my  story  as  I  thought 
necessary.  The  result  was  that  he  took  me  under  his 
wing,  so  to  speak.  He  spent  the  whole  morning  with 
me,  explaining  to  me  the  differences  in  build  and  rig 
between  the  vessels  lying  there,  telling  me  a  great  deal 
about  the  duties  of  a  seaman  and  the  ways  of  life  at  sea. 
He  counseled  me  very  earnestly  to  give  up  my  design 
and  seek  an  employment  on  shore. 

"Sea-life  bean't  for  the  likes  of  you,"  he  said.  "I  don't 
know  nothing  about  lawyers,  saving  them  as  they  call 
sea-lawyers,  and  they're  rogues;  but  you'd  better  be  a 
land-lawyer  than  go  to  sea.  Tis  all  very  well  for  them 
as  begin  as  officers,  but  for  the  men  the  life  bean't  fit  for 
a  dog.  Aboard  ship  you'd  meet  some  very  rough  com- 
pany— very  rough  indeed.  I  don't  pretend  to  be  better 
nor  most,  but  there  be  some  terrible  bad  ones  at  sea.  Of 
course  it  depends  mostly  on  the  skipper,  but  even  where 
the  skipper's  a  good  'un — and  there  be  good  and  bad — 
he  can't  have  his  eyes  everywhere,  and  I've  knowed 
youngsters  so  bad  used  on  board  that  they'd  sooner  ha* 
bin  dead.  Not  but  what  you  mightn't  stand  a  chance,  be- 
ing a  big  fellow  of  your  inches." 

What  the  old  fellow  said  did  not  in  the  least  shake  my 
resolution.  The  only  effect  of  it  was  to  turn  my  inclina- 
tion rather  in  favor  of  the  merchant  service  than  the 
king's  navy,  to  which  I  had  inclined  hitherto.  In  a  king's 
ship  I  might  certainly  share  in  some  fighting,  which  has 
ever  great  attractions  to  a  healthy  boy ;  but  then  I  should 
have  little  chance  of  seeing  the  world  unless  specially 
favored  by  circumstances,  for  the  ship  might  be  kept 
cruising  about,  looking  for  the  French  who  never  came. 
[Whereas  in  a  merchant  ship  I  might  see  India,  and  even 


I   COME   TO   BRISTOWE  117 

China,  and  my  new  friend  told  me  fine  stories  of  the  for- 
tunes to  be  made  in  those  distant  parts  by  the  lucky  ones, 
besides  which  I  felt  a  longing  to  see  strange  and  far-off 
lands  and  peoples  for  the  mere  pleasure  of  it.  To  take 
service  with  an  East  Indiaman  most  hit  my  fancy,  and 
when  the  sailor  told  me  that  London  and  Southampton 
were  the  ports  for  the  East  India  trade,  I  began  to  think 
of  working  my  passage  to  one  or  the  other  of  them. 

John  Woodrow,  as  he  was  named,  advised  me  not  to  be 
in  a  hurry,  and  when  I  explained  that  my  little  stock  of 
money  would  be  exhausted  in  a  few  days  by  the  charges 
at  the  inn  Where  I  had  put  up,  he  recommended  me  to  a 
widow  living  towards  Clifton,  who  would  give  me  board 
and  lodging  for  a  more  modest  sum.  My  anxieties  on 
this  score  being  removed,  I  resolved  to  follow  Wood- 
row's  advice,  and  not  be  in  too  great  haste  to  take  my  first 
plunge.  He  promised  to  let  me  know  of  any  decent  skip- 
per who  might  be  sailing  to  Southampton  or  London  if, 
when  I  had  had  a  few  days  to  think  things  over,  my  mind 
remained  the  same. 

Next  day  a  great  king's  ship  of  three  decks  came  into 
the  river,  and  I  passed  the  whole  morning  in  gazing  at 
her,  watching  what  went  on  upon  her  deck,  and  the  boat- 
loads of  mariners  that  came  ashore  from  her,  envying 
the  officers,  and  wavering  in  my  design  to  join  a  mer- 
chant vessel.  The  vessel  was  named,  as  I  found,  the 
Sans  Pareil,  and  though  I  had  little  French  (the  dead 
tongues  being  most  thought  of  at  Shrewsbury),  I  knew 
the  words  meant  "the  matchless,"  and  certainly  she  out-, 
did  all  the  other  ships  around  her.  The  only  vessel,  in- 
deed, that  any  way  approached  her  was  a  large  brig 
which,  as  my  friend  Woodrow  had  told  me  the  day  be- 
fore, was  a  privateer  that  was  being  fitted  out  by  certain 
gentlemen  and  merchants  of  Bristowe  for  work  against 


ii8  HUMPHREY   BOLD 

the  French.  The  Bristowe  merchants  had  suffered  great 
losses  from  the  depredations  made  on  their  ships  by 
French  corsairs.  Many  a  vessel  loaded  with  a  rich 
freight  of  sugar,  or  tobacco,  or  other  produce  of  the  colo- 
nies, had  fallen  a  prey  to  the  enemy,  who  swooped  out 
of  St.  Malo  or  Brest,  as  Woodrow  said,  and  snapped  up 
our  barques  almost  within  sight  of  their  harbor.  'Twas 
not  to  be  wondered  at  that  those  who  had  suffered  in  this 
way  should  make  reprisals. 

The  Sans  Pareil  had  such  a  fascination  for  me  (never 
having  seen  a  king's  ship  before)  that  I  was  only  awak- 
ened to  the  passage  of  time  by  the  crying  out  of  my 
stomach.  I  had  promised  Mistress  Perry,  the  widow 
with  whom  I  had  taken  up  my  abode,  that  I  would  return 
punctually  at  noon  for  my  dinner,  and  now  the  church 
clocks  (no  less  than  my  hunger)  told  me  it  was  long  past 
that  hour.  She  would  be  mightily  vexed,  and  the  joint 
would  be  burned  black,  and  I  neither  wished  to  offend  her 
nor  to  eat  cinders.  So  I  now  hurried  away  as  fast  as  my 
legs  would  carry  me,  and  soon  came  to  the  footpath  lead- 
ing to  Clifton. 

As  I  turned  the  corner  by  Jacob's  Well,  I  stepped 
hastily  aside  to  avoid  a  man  who  was  coming  fast  in  the 
opposite  direction.  He  also  moved  at  the  same  moment, 
and,  as  I  have  often  known  to  happen  at  such  sudden 
encounters,  the  very  movements  made  to  prevent  the 
collision  brought  it  about.  We  both  moved  to  the  same 
side,  and  jostled  each  other,  and  I,  being  the  more 
weighty  of  the  two,  gave  him  a  tough  shoulder  and  well 
nigh  upset  him. 

"Clumsy  h — "  he  was  beginning,  but  he  got  no  fur- 
ther, and  'twas  well  he  did  not,  for  if  he  had  uttered 
the  word  "hound"  that  had  all  but  come  to  his  lips  he 


I   COME   TO   BRISTOWE  119 

would  scarce  have  gone  on  his  way  without  my  mark 
upon  him.  But  he  did  not  say  it,  being  indeed  startled 
out  of  his  self-possession.  No  doubt  he  had  as  little 
expected  to  see  me  as  I  to  see  him :  it  was  Cyrus  Vetch. 

We  both  turned  after  jostling  each  other.  The  im- 
pulse seized  me  to  take  him  by  the  neck  and  drub  him 
for  his  rascally  dealing  with  Mistress  Lucy — and  to  settle 
at  the  same  time  some  little  private  scores  of  my  own. 
But  he  was  in  truth  so  pitiful  a  creature,  and  looked  so 
scared,  that  I  let  him  alone ;  besides  I  felt  that  I  might  one 
day  have  a  greater  account  to  pay  off,  to  which  settlement 
Dick  Cludde  must  be  a  party.  He  on  his  side,  to  judge 
by  his  pale  cheeks,  expected  a  rude  handling,  and  when 
he  found  that  I  made  no  movement  towards  him,  a  look 
of  relief  crossed  his  countenance,  followed  by  an  expres- 
sion which  at  the  moment  I  was  unable  to  fathom.  Then, 
as  by  mutual  consent,  and  without  having  exchanged  a 
word,  we  turned  our  backs  on  each  other  and  went  our 
several  ways. 

As  I  expected,  the  joint  of  beef  was  done  to  shreds, 
and  Widow  Perry  rated  me  soundly  for  being  so  late, 
asking  me  whether  I  expected  her  dog  to  keep  turning 
the  jack  till  doomsday.  ('Twas  a  strange  custom  of  the 
Bristowe  housewives  to  employ  dogs  for  turning  their 
roasting  jacks).  With  all  humility  I  expressed  contri- 
tion, and  vowed  amendment,  and  I  kept  my  word.  While 
I  ate  my  dinner  my  thoughts  were  busy  with  my  late  en- 
counter with  Vetch,  and  I  wondered  what  he  was  about 
in  Bristowe,  and  whether  Dick  Cludde  was  still  with 
him.  I  did  not  doubt  they  were  in  a  desperate  rage  with 
me,  and  if  they  should  be  here  together  I  was  pretty  sure 
they  would  take  some  means  of  avenging  themselves ; 
but  confident  of  my  strength  and  my  skill  of  fence  the 


120  HUMPHREY    BOLD 

prospect  gave  me  rather  a  pleasant  expectancy  than  any 
alarm. 

So  three  days  passed — days  which  I  spent  for  the  most 
part  with  Woodrow  the  old  mariner,  plying  him  with 
questions  innumerable  about  shipping  and  life  at  sea, 
and  learning  many  things  by  my  own  observation.  I 
saw  no  more  of  Vetch,  nor  did  anything  give  me  cause 
of  uneasiness.  On  the  second  day  Mistress  Perry,  in- 
deed, threatened  a  slight  discomfort  by  wishing  me  to 
share  my  room  with  a  new  lodger  she  had  just  taken ;  but 
she  gave  in  when  I  flatly  refused  to  bed  with  a  stranger, 
and  grumblingly  accommodated  the  man — a  rough-look- 
ing sea-dog — in  a  little  closet  off  the  stairs. 

On  the  third  afternoon,  when  I  returned  to  the  quay 
after  my  dinner,  Woodrow  told  me  he  had  found  a  skip- 
per who  would  sail  for  Southampton  at  the  end  of  the 
week,  and  was  willing  to  take  me  as  ship's  boy.  He  as- 
sured me  that  I  could  hope  for  nothing  better  to  begin 
with,  and  the  voyage  would  be  long  enough  for  me  to 
try  my  sea-legs,  and,  as  he  believed,  to  cure  me  of  my 
fancy  for  a  sea-life.  I  was  to  visit  the  skipper  at  the 
Angel  tavern  that  evening,  and  if  he  liked  my  figure- 
head, as  Woodrow  put  it,  the  matter  could  be  settled 
there  and  then. 

Accordingly,  about  seven  o'clock,  I  met  Woodrow  at 
the  corner  of  the  Bridge,  by  the  Leather  Hall,  and  ac- 
companied him  to  the  Angel  in  Redcliffe  Street,  where 
he  presented  me  to  his  friend,  Captain  Reddaway.  After 
the  usual  jocose  allusions  to  my  height,  to  which  I  was 
now  fairly  inured,  the  skipper  asked  me  a  great  many 
questions  about  navigation,  feigned  a  vast  surprise  at 
my  ignorance,  and  supplied  the  answers  himself,  to  im- 
press me,  I  suppose,  with  his  own  stores  of  knowledge. 


I   COME   TO   BRISTOWE  121 

Then  the  two  mariners  settled  down  over  their  pipes  and 
beer  to  a  conversation  in  which  I  was  not  expected  to 
take  a  part;  indeed,  it  consisted  chiefly  of  reminiscences 
of  voyages  they  had  made  together,  and,  though:  enter- 
taining enough  at  first,  by  and  by  became  insufferably 
tedious.  For  politeness'  sake  they  included  me  in  the 
conversation  from  time  to  time  by  waving  their  pipes  at 
me,  and  I  did  not  like  to  risk  hurting  the  feelings  of  my 
new  employer  by  showing  how  wearied  I  was,  or  by 
leaving  them ;  so  that  it  was  not  till  near  ten  o'clock  that 
I  managed  to  escape,  and  then  only  because  they  had 
both  fallen  asleep. 

The  night  was  warm,  and  my  lungs  being  filled  with 
the  reek  of  their  strong  tobacco  I  determined  to  walk 
down  by  the  river  before  returning  to  my  lodging,  in  the 
hope  of  getting  a  breath  of  fresh  air  blowing  in  from  the 
sea.  The  river  side  was  deserted  and  silent;  the  lights 
of  the  vessels  at  anchor  increased  the  darkness  around; 
and  I  was  walking  slowly  along,  wondering  which  of 
the  lamps  hung  on  Captain  Reddaway's  vessel,  when 
suddenly  I  found  myself  surrounded  by  a  group  of  men 
who  seemed  to  have  sprung  from  nowhere.  Before  I 
knew  what  was  happening,  much  less  make  any  move- 
ment of  defence,  I  was  being  dragged  by  rough  hands 
to  the  edge  of  the  quay.  I  shouted  lustily  for  help,  only 
to  receive  a  crack  on  the  head  from  one  of  the  men, 
while  another  clapped  his  hand  across  my  mouth.  I 
wriggled  desperately,  tripped  up  one  fellow,  and  used 
my  feet  to  some  purpose  on  the  shins  of  another;  but 
there  were  so  many  of  them  that  I  was  soon  overpow- 
ered, and  was  quite  helpless  in  their  hands  when  they 
lugged  me  down  the  steps  into  a  boat  that  lay  moored 
below.  Throwing  me  into  the  bottom  they  pulled  off; 


122  HUMPHREY   BOLD 

in  a  few  minutes  they  came  under  the  quarter  of  a  large 
vessel  in  mid-stream ;  I  was  hauled  up  the  side,  and,  more 
or  less  dazed  with  my  rough  handling,  heard  without  un- 
derstanding a  loud  voice  giving  orders.  In  two  minutes 
I  was  lying  bound  hand  and  foot  in  the  fore  part  of  the 
vessel,  and  there  I  remained,  exposed  to  the  open  sky, 
until  morning  dawned. 


CHAPTER   XIII 

DUGUAY-TROUIN 

'Twas  little  sleep  I  got  that  night,  my  body  smarting 
with  the  ill-usage  I  had  suffered,  and  my  mind  in  a  fer- 
ment of  rage  and  dismay.  This  was  the  third  and  the 
worst  mischance  that  had  befallen  me  since  I  left  Shrews- 
bury, and  no  one  would  blame  me  overmuch,  perhaps, 
had  I  given  way  to  utter  despair.  Old  Woodrow  had 
told  me  stories  about  such  tricks  of  kidnapping,  but,  just 
as  when  we  hear  a  parson  denouncing  sin  we  are  apt  to 
apply  it  to  our  neighbor  and  not  ourselves,  so  I  had 
never  dreamed  that  I  myself  might  be  the  victim  of  such 
an  outrage.  And  remembering  what  Woodrow  had  said, 
I  broke  out  into  a  sweat  of  apprehension,  for  I  knew 
that  I  could  not  have  been  impressed  as  a  mariner  to 
serve  aboard  a  privateer,  as  was  often  done;  only  tried 
mariners  were  seized  with  that  intent,  and  certainly  no 
one  would  wish  to  teach  a  raw  landsman  his  duties  on 
a  vessel  engaged  in  such  a  perilous  and  desperate  busi- 
ness. I  could  only  concludez  then,  that  the  design  in  kid- 
napping me  was  to  ship  me  to  the  American  or  West 
Indian  plantations,  whither  every  year  hundreds  of  poor 
wretches  were  sent  to  a  dismal  slavery.  Woodrow  had 
pointed  out  to  me  one  day  in  the  street  a  high  magistrate 
of  the  city,  who  had  made  great  wealth  in  the  sugar 
trade,  and  did  not  disdain  to  add  to  it  by  selling  flesh 
and  blood. 

My  imagination  racked  with  this  fear,  I  lay  sleepless, 
123 


124  HUMPHREY   BOLD 

save  for  brief  intervals  of  restless  dozing.  Soon  after 
dawn  I  heard  movements  about  the  ship,  and  by  and  by 
some  of  the  sailors  came  and  looked  at  me,  making  all 
manner  of  jests  in  language  fouler  than  I  had  ever  heard. 
The  features  of  one  of  them  seemed  familiar  to  me, 
though  at  first  I  could  not  recall  place  or  time  when  I 
had  seen  him  before.  But  after  a  while,  as  I  watched 
him,  I  recognized  'him  in  spite  of  some  change  in  his 
garb :  it  was  the  lodger  whom  Mistress  Perry  had  wished 
to  place  in  my  room.  My  kidnapping  was  then,  I 
thought,  a  carefully  arranged  plan,  and  I  remembered 
that  before  leaving  the  house  I  had  told  Mistress  Perry 
in  the  man's  hearing  where  I  was  going,  and  that  I  might 
return  somewhat  late.  He  had  doubtless  lodged  there  to 
spy  on  me,  and  I  was  sore  tempted  to  speak  to  the  fellow 
and  ask  him  how  much  he  had  got  for  the  dirty  job. 

But  an  hour  or  two  afterwards  I  had  fuller  enlighten- 
ment as  to  my  plight.  The  master  of  the  vessel  came 
aboard;  he  had  spent  the  night  ashore;  and  his  foot  no 
sooner  touched  the  deck  than  he  stepped  to  where  I  lay, 
and  ordered  one  of  the  men  to  loose  my>  bonds  and  stand 
me  on  my  feet.  And  as  I  rose,  staggering,  I  saw  behind 
him  the  grinning  faces  of  Cyrus  Vetch  and  Dick  Cludde. 
The  meaning  of  it  all  flashed  upon  me ;  this  was  their  re- 
venge ;  and  the  knowledge  heated  me  to  such  a  fury  that 
I  leapt  forward  and,  before  I  could  be  stopped,  dealt 
Vetch  a  buffet  that  sent  him  spinning  against  the  fore- 
mast. Cludde,  ever  chicken-hearted,  turned  pale,  expect- 
ing a  like  handling,  but  he  was  spared,  for  the  master 
cried  to  his  men  to  seize  me,  and  I  was  in  a  minute  again 
pinioned  and  laid  where  I  had  been  before. 

"Hot  as  pepper,"  says  the  master,  with  a  grin  to  Vetch. 

"Yes,"  I  cried,  with  an  impetuous  rage  I  could  not 
check,  "and  'twill  be  hot  for  you  some  day.  You've  no 


DUGUAY-TROUIN  125 

right  to  bring  me  here  against  my  will,  and  I  demand  to 
be  set  free." 

"Too-rol-loo-rol !"  hummed  the  master,  smirking  again. 
"What  a  bantam  cock  have  ye  brought  me  here,  Mr. 
Cludde?" 

"He  was  a  desperate  fellow  at  school,  Captain,"  said 
Cludde.  "Why,  when  he  was  only  eleven  he  pretty  nearly 
murdered  my  friend  Vetch  here." 

"Split  my  snatch  block,  you  don't  say>  so!  We  shall 
have  to  watch  the  weather  with  him  aboard." 

"D'you  hear?"  I  cried,  incensed  beyond  bearing.  "Let 
me  free,  or  I  promise  you  you  shall  suffer  for  it,  and  those 
curs  too." 

"Didst  ever  see  such  a  brimstone  galley!  I'll  soon 
bring  you  to  your  bearings,"  and  with  that  he  gave  me  a 
cuff  on  the  head  which  made  me  dizzy. 

He  left  me  then  with  the  others,  and  soon  afterwards 
I  saw  Cludde  go  over  the  side,  taking  farewell  of  the 
captain,  and,  to  my  surprise,  of  Vetch  also.  Still  more 
astonished  was  I  when,  the  order  being  given  to  throw 
off,  the  vessel  dropped  down  with  the  tide,  having  Vetch 
still  aboard.  We  made  the  mouth  of  the  river,  and  stood 
out  to  sea ;  it  was  clear  that  my  old  enemy  and  I  were  to 
be  shipmates,  though  I  could  not  guess  the  purpose  of  his 
crossing  the  ocean.  During  the  ship's  slow  beating  out  I 
had  had  leisure  to  look  about  me,  and  I  now  knew  that  I 
was  aboard  the  Dolphin,  the  privateer  whose  fitting  out 
I  had  watched  from  the  quayside.  Despite  my  sorry  situ- 
ation I  felt  a  stirring  of  interest  and  excitement ;  a  priva- 
teer would  scarce  put  to  sea  for  nothing,  and  the  thought 
that  ere  many  days  were  passed  I  might  be  in  the  midst 
of  a  sea  fight  helped  to  drive  my  grievances  from  my 
mind.  Withal  I  was  puzzled:  if  slavery  was  not  to  be 
my  lot,  what  had  my  enemies  gained?  But  I  was  soon, 


126  HUMPHREY  BOLD 

in  sooth,  in  no  state  either  to  feed  my  imagination  or  to 
nurse  my  wrongs.  The  unaccustomed  motion  of  the  ves- 
sel produced  on  me  the  effect  which  but  few  escape ;  and 
we  were  no  sooner  fairly  out  in  the  Channel  than  I  turned 
sick,  and  suffered  the  more  severely,  as  I  was  told  after- 
wards, because  I  had  had  no  food  for  upwards  of  fifteen 
hours.  For  a  whole  day  I  lay  in  helpless  misery:  but 
then  Captain  Cawson  (so  he  was  named)  himself  came 
to  me,  hauled  me  to  my  feet,  and  with  an  oath  bade  me 
go  and  scrub  the  floor  of  the  cook's  galley.  At  the  time 
I  thought  him  a  monster  of  brutality,  driving  me  to  my 
death ;  but  I  soon  learned  that  nothing  prolongs  sea-sick- 
ness, or  indeed  any  sickness,  so  much  as  brooding  on  it, 
and  the  activity  thus  forced  upon  me  had  some  part,  I 
doubt  not,  in  hastening  my  recovery. 

From  that  time  I  was  the  ship's  drudge.  At  every- 
body's beck  and  call,  I  was  employed  from  morning  till 
night  in  all  kinds  of  menial  offices.  It  was  a  hard  life, 
and  the  treatment  meted  out  to  me  was  rough ;  but  hav- 
ing got  the  better  of  my  first  rage  and  indignation,  I  re- 
solved to  make  the  best  of  my  situation  and  to  show  no 
sullenness;  besides  I  honestly  wished  to  learn  all  that  I 
could  of  a  sailor's  duty,  and  felt  some  little  amusement  in 
thinking  that,  if  my  enemies  had  sought  this  way  of 
crushing  me,  they  had  very  much  mistaken  their  man. 
My  activity  and  strength  of  limb  stood  me  in  good  stead 
and  won  me  a  certain  rough  respect  from  officers  and 
men,  together  with  the  real  good-will  of  a  few  of  the  bet- 
ter disposed  among  them.  After  a  day  or  two  one  old 
salt,  named  John  Dilly,  took  me  in  a  manner  under  his 
wing,  and  I  made  shift  with  his  guidance  to  bear  my 
part  in  shortening  and  letting  out  sail.  Fortunately  the 
weather  was  mild,  and  the  early  days  of  my  apprentice- 
ship were  not  so  terrible  as  they  might  have  been  had  the 


DUGUAY-TROUIN  127 

vessel  encountered  the  storms  that  are  commonly  experi- 
enced in  those  seas,  and  especially  in  the  Bay  of  Biscay, 
in  which  we  beat  about  for  nigh  a  week  in  the  hope  of 
sighting  a  Frenchman. 

From  John  Dilly  I  learned  that  Vetch's  position  on 
board  was  that  of  purser,  he  having  been  introduced  to 
the  captain  by  Dick  Cludde.  Vetch  attempted  no  active 
measures  of  hostility  against  me ;  indeed,  he  kept  relig- 
iously out  of  my  way,  fearing  maybe  that  I  might  seize  an 
opportunity  to  settle  accounts  with  him.  Sometimes  I 
saw  him  grin  with  malicious  pleasure  when  he  caught 
sight  of  me  tarring  ropes  or  engaged  in  some  other  ar- 
duous or  unsavory  task;  but  I  never  gratified  him  by 
giving  sign  of  resentment  or  humiliation. 

I  had  to  take  my  watch  with  the  rest  of  the  crew.  One 
morning,  some  ten  days  after  leaving  Bristowe,  the  cap- 
tain came  on  deck  at  two  bells  and  ordered  me  to  the 
mizen  cross-trees  to  keep  a  sharp  look-out,  at  the  same 
time  sending  Dilly  to  the  fore  cross-trees.  It  was  his 
practice,  I  had  learned,  to  give  a  money  bounty  to  the  first 
man  who  sighted  an  enemy  if  the  discovery  resulted  in  a 
capture,  and  I  was  eager  to  win  the  prize,  not  more  for 
its  own  sake  than  as  a  means  of  standing  well  with  the 
captain. 

The  sun  rose  over  the  hills  of  France  as  I  sat  at  my 
post.  For  a  time  I  was  entranced  with  the  beauty  of  the 
sight,  watching  the  changing  hues  of  the  sky,  as  pink 
turned  to  gold,  and  gold  merged  into  the  heavenly  blue. 
But  the  morning  air  was  chilly,  and  what  with  the  cold 
and  my  cramped  position  I  was  longing  for  release  when 
my  eye  was  suddenly  caught  by  what  resembled  the  wing 
of  a  bird  on  the  horizon  about  west-southwest.  Was  it 
the  sail  of  a  ship,  I  wondered,  roused  to  excitement,  or 
merely  a  cloud  ?  Had  old  Dilly  observed  it  ?  I  durst  not 


128  HUMPHREY   BOLD 

cry  out  lest  I  were  mistaken;  but,  straining  my  eyes,  in 
the  course  of  a  few  minutes  I  made  out  the  speck  to  be 
beyond  doubt  the  royals  of  a  distant  ship. 

"Sail  ho !"  I  cried  with  all  my  might. 

"Where  away?"  shouts  the  captain,  and  when  I  an- 
swered "About  west-sou'-west,"  he  went  to  the  compan- 
ion way,  reached  for  his  perspective  glass,  and,  mounting 
the  rigging,  climbed  as  high  as  the  royal  yard.  He  took 
a  long  look  through  the  glass,  and  then,  shutting  it  up 
with  a  snap,  he  cries : 

"You're  right,  my  lad,  smite  my  taffrail  if  you're  not. 
She's  a  Frenchman,  sure  enough,  and  the  bounty's  yours 
if  it  comes  to  a  battering  and  grappling.  I'm  a  man  of 
my  word,  I  am." 

The  stranger  was  yet  a  good  way  off,  and  the  captain, 
instead  of  altering  the  brig's  course  and  standing  in  pur- 
suit, shouted  to  the  men  to  brace  the  yards  round,  and, 
the  wind  being  due  north,  headed  straight  for  Bordeaux, 
whither  the  vessel  was  to  all  appearance  making.  At  the 
same  time  he  hoisted  French  colors  at  the  mizen,  and 
then  ordered  one  of  the  anchors  to  be  dropped  over  the 
stern  and  about  fifty  fathom  of  cable  to  be  paid  out,  the 
meaning  of  which  I  did  not  understand  till  Dilly  ex- 
plained that  'twas  to  check  the  way  on  the  brig  and  allow 
the  stranger  to  overhaul  us.  Then  he  cried  to  us  to  lie 
flat  on  the  deck  and  keep  out  of  sight,  and  he  sent  one  of 
the  best  hands  to  the  wheel,  wearing  a  red  cap,  which 
was,  Dilly  told  me,  to  make  him  look  like  a  Frencher. 

There  was  only  a  light  six-knot  breeze,  and  Dilly  said 
that  the  anchor  dragging  astern  took  quite  two  knots  off 
our  speed,  so  that  in  the  course  of  an  hour  the  stranger 
came  clearly  into  view.  She  was  a  big  barque,  deep  in 
the  water,  and  the  men  chuckled  as  they  peeped  at  her, 
for  'twas  clear  she  was  full  of  cargo.  Every  sail  was  set, 


DUGUAY-TROUIN  129 

alow  and  aloft,  and  she  came  on  steadily  at  a  good  rate, 
not  altering  her  course  a  point,  from  which  'twas  plain 
she  had  as  yet  no  suspicions  of  us. 

I  noticed  that  a  buoy  had  been  fixed  to  the  end  of  the 
cable  inboard. 

"What's  that  for  ?"  I  asked  Dilly,  who  lay  at  my  side. 

"  Tis  ready  to  be  flung  over,"  he  replied,  "so  as  to 
mark  the  position  of  our  cable  when  it  is  sent  by  the 
board.  We'll  come  back  for  it  anon/' 

WThen  the  vessel  was  about  a  mile  distant,  our  captain 
gave  the  order  to  fling  the  cable  overboard,  then  shouted : 

"Hard  up,  wear  ship." 

We  sprang  to  the  braces,  the  ship  spun  round,  and 
there  we  were  on  the  starboard  tack  heading  straight  for 
the  stranger.  'Twas  clear  then  that  she  thought  some- 
thing was  amiss,  for  she  tried  to  put  about  and  run  for 
it ;  but  being  greatly  hampered  by  her  sternsails  and  the 
press  of  canvas  she  was  carrying,  by  the  time  she  had 
come  round  we  had  gained  a  good  quarter-mile  upon  her. 
The  wind  had  freshened,  and  in  some  ten  minutes  our 
captain  gave  the  order  to  haul  the  tarpaulin  off  Long 
Tom,  the  biggest  of  eight  guns  we  carried,  and  give  the 
Frenchman  a  pill.  The  gun  was  already  loaded,  and  Bill 
Garland,  the  best  shot  aboard,  of  whose  skill  I  had  heard 
not  a  little  from  his  messmates,  laid  it  carefully  and  took 
aim,  and  then  for  a  minute  I  could  see  nothing  for  the 
cloud  of  smoke.  I  sprang  up  in  my  excitement;  'twas 
the  first  shot  I  had  ever  seen  fired,  and  the  roar  of  it  made 
me  tingle  and  throb.  But  old  Dilly  pulled  me  down. 

"Not  so  fast,  long  shanks,"  he  said.  "Our  turn's 
a-coming." 

"Did  he  hit  her  ?"  I  asked,  dropping  down  beside  him. 

"Clean  through  the  mizen  top-sail,"  he  replied,  "but 
done  no  more  harm  than  blowing  your  nose." 


130  HUMPHREY   BOLE) 

The  gun  was  reloaded,  and  Bill  was  about  to  fire  again 
when  the  captain  sang  out  to  him  to  wait  a  little,  for  we 
were  sailing  two  feet  to  the  Frenchman's  one,  and  draw- 
ing rapidly  within  point-blank  range. 

"He's  loaded  with  chain  shot  this  time,"  said  Dilly, 
"and  that's  a  terrible  creature  for  clearing  a  deck  or  cut- 
ting up  rigging.  If  Bill  have  got  his  eye  we'll  see  sum- 
mat  according." 

The  gun  spoke,  and  when  the  smoke  had  cleared  we 
saw  that  the  shot  had  cut  through  the  Frenchman's  mizen 
and  main  weather  rigging,  bringing  down  the  top  masts 
with  all  their  hamper  of  sails.  Even  to  my  inexperienced 
eye  it  was  clear  that  the  barque  was  crippled  and  lay  at 
our  mercy.  She  still  kept  her  flag  flying,  however,  and 
as  we  drew  nearer  we  could  see  a  throng  of  soldiers  upon 
her  decks,  she  being  without  doubt  a  transport  returning 
from  the  French  possessions  in  the  West  Indies.  She 
fired  a  shot  or  two  at  us,  but  they  fell  short,  her  ordnance 
plainly  being  no  match  for  ours,  so  we  had  nothing  to  do 
but  heave  to  and  rake  her  at  our  pleasure.  After  a  cou- 
ple of  broadsides  that  made  havoc  on  her  decks,  she  sud- 
denly struck  her  flag,  and  of  our  crew  I  was  perhaps  the 
only  one  who  did  not  cheer,  for  it  seemed  to  me  that  none 
but  a  craven  would  have  yielded  so  easily,  and  I  was 
longing  for  the  excitement  of  boarding.  We  ran  up  to 
windward  of  her,  and  Captain  Cawson,  keeping  the  port 
broadside  trained  on  her  in  case  of  treachery,  sent  an 
armed  boat's  crew  in  charge  of  the  first  mate  to  take  pos- 
session of  her. 

I  was  not  among  those  who  were  told  off  for  this  duty, 
but  the  fever  of  adventure  had  got  such  a  hold  upon 
me  that  I  was  hungry  to  take  a  share  in  what  was  to- 
ward. So  I  contrived  to  slip  into  the  boat  at  the  last 
moment,  at  some  peril  of  a  ducking,  and  mounted  the 


DUGUAY-TROUIN  131 

Frenchman's  deck  with  the  rest.  Then  I  wished  that  I 
had  not  been  so  impetuous  for  the  sight  that  met  my  eye 
was  more  terrible  than  anything-  I  had  ever  imagined, 
and  explained  the  surrender.  Scores  of  wounded  and 
dying  men  were  strewn  over  the  decks ;  their  groans  and 
piteous  looks  turned  my  heart  sick.  But  such  sights  were 
no  new  thing  to  the  rest  of  the  crew.  They  set  to  work 
with  amazing  coolness  to  clear  the  decks,  and  get  the  ves- 
sel into  trim,  our  captain  having  ordered  the  mate  to  rig 
jury  masts,  under  which  he  hoped  to  sail  the  prize  to 
England.  This  seemed  to  me,  I  own,  an  enterprise  of 
much  danger,  for  we  were  near  the  French  coast,  and 
might  easily  fall  in  with  a  French  frigate,  or  even  a 
squadron  of  the  enemy's  vessels.  But  the  prize  was  ex- 
ceedingly valuable,  and  Captain  Cawson  was  no  more 
unwilling  than  any  other  English  seaman  to  run  a  certain 
risk.  Accordingly  the  soldiers  and  passengers  on  board 
the  Frenchman  were  sent  below  and  battened  under 
hatches,  and  the  crew  was  made  to  assist  our  men  in  cut- 
ting away  the  rigging  and  splicing  and  setting  up  the 
weather-shrouds.  The  lighter  sails  were  stripped  off  the 
foremast,  the  mate  thinking  to  bring  her  into  port  under 
mizen  and  main  sail,  together  with  all  the  fore  and  aft 
canvas  that  could  be  safely  set. 

'Twas  the  work  of  several  hours  to  get  things  ship- 
shape, the  Dolphin  meanwhile  lying  by  to  give  us  coun- 
tenance and  protection.  When  all  was  trim  and  taut  we 
set  a  course  for  our  own  shores,  following  the  Dolphin 
about  three  cables'  lengths  astern. 

'Twas  drawing  towards  sunset  when  she  signalled  to 
us  that  a  sail  was  in  sight.  This  news  caused  much  com- 
motion among  us,  still  more  when  our  own  look-out 
cried  that  the  vessel  bearing  towards  us  under  press  of 
sail  out  of  the  west  was  beyond  doubt  a  frigate,  and  in 


132  HUMPHREY   BOLD 

all  likelihood  a  Frenchman.  I  knew  our  case  would  be 
parlous  if  indeed  it  was  so,  for  neither  the  privateer  nor 
the  merchant  barque  we  had  captured  was  armed  in  any 
wise  to  match  a  line-of-battle  ship.  Moreover  'twas  un- 
likely that  in  our  partly  crippled  condition  we  could  out- 
sail the  vessel :  and  when  the  mate,  taking  a  look  at  the 
stranger  through  his  perspective  glass,  declared  that  she 
was  certainly  French,  our  only  hope  was  that  darkness 
might  shroud  us  before  she  came  within  striking  dis- 
tance— a  slender  chance  at  the  best,  for,  though  'twas 
drawing  towards  dusk,  the  sky  was  wonderfully  clear. 

We  held  on  our  course,  there  being  nothing  else  for  us 
to  do.  The  frigate  loomed  ever  larger,  and  my  heart-beats 
quickened  as  I  wondered  what  the  event  would  be.  I  did 
not  dream  that  we  should  strike  our  flag  as  the  French- 
man had  done,  and  thought  that  we,  having  two  vessels 
against  one,  would  at  least  make  a  fight  of  it.  But  I  was 
struck  with  mingled  indignation  and  dismay  when  I  saw 
the  Dolphin  crowd  on  all  sail  and  bear  away  northwards, 
leaving  us  to  our  fate.  I  thought  it  a  scurvy  action  on  the 
part  of  Captain  Cawson,  and  Dilly  could  not  persuade  me 
that  he  could  have  done  us  no  good  by  remaining.  But 
the  mate  was  not  a  whit  discomposed.  He  swore  a  little, 
as  did  the  men,  yet  without  any  heat :  indeed  they  joked 
among  themselves  about  the  prison  fare  they  would  soon 
be  starving  on;  and  when  a  shot  from  the  frigate  fell 
across  our  bows,  the  mate  merely  spat  out  the  quid  he 
was  chewing,  and  ordered  the  flag  to  be  hauled  down. 
Ten  minutes  after,  the  frigate  was  on  our  weather  quar- 
ter, and  dropping  a  boat,  sent  a  crew  aboard. 

I  was  bitterly  chagrined  at  this  reversal  of  our  for- 
tunes, and  when  the  Frenchmen  who  had  been  our  pris- 
oners were  released,  I  went  very  sullenly  with  the  rest 


DUGUAY-TROUIN  133 

into  the  boat  that  conveyed  us  to  the  frigate.  We  were 
clapped  under  hatches,  and  confined  in  the  hold,  a 
noisome  close  place,  lit  by  a  single  oil  lamp  that  stunk 
horribly. 

"Smite  me  if  it  bean't  Doggy  Trang!"  said  the  mate 
when  the  squat  towsy-headed  seaman  who  had  conducted 
us  below  had  left  us.  "I  seed  him  at  Plymouth  a  year  or 
two  ago." 

I  thought  he  was  referring  to  the  seaman,  but  it  turned 
out  that  he  meant  the  captain  of  the  vessel,  a  young 
Frenchman  named  Duguay-Trouin,  who  was  known  to 
our  men  as  a  daring  and  courageous  corsair.  Two  years 
before  this,  they  told  me,  when  commanding  the  royal 
frigate  La  Diligente  of  thirty-six  guns,  he  had  run  among 
a  squadron  of  six  English  vessels  in  a  fog,  and  after  a 
stout  resistance  was  forced  to  yield,  not  before  a  ball  from 
the  Monk  had  laid  him  low.  He  was  carried  prisoner  to 
Plymouth,  whence  he  had  cleverly  escaped  one  night  by 
scaling  a  wall  and  putting  off  in  a  little  boat. 

My  companions  soon  accommodated  themselves  to  their 
surroundings  and  fell  asleep;  but  I  was  in  too  great  a 
ferment  to  take  matters  so  equably.  I  had  no  love  for 
the  buccaneers  who  had  kidnapped  me  at  Bristowe,  to  be 
sure:  but  my  English  pride  was  hurt  at  our  capture  by 
the  French,  and  I  quailed  at  the  prospect  of  a  long  im- 
prisonment in  France.  Surely,  thought  I,  I  must  have 
been  born  under  an  unlucky  star,  for  misfortune  has 
dogged  me  ever  since  I  left  my  native  town. 

The  old  seaman  brought  us  some  food  by  and  by.  He 
knew  a  little  English,  and  in  answer  to  a  question  from 
the  mate  explained  that  his  captain  was  now  hotly  chas- 
ing the  vessel  which  had  run  away,  and  if  he  caught  it, 
the  dogs  of  English  would  be  sorry  they  ever  showed 


134  HUMPHREY   BOLD 

their  noses  off  the  French  coast.  The  captain  being 
Duguay-Trouin,  we  knew  that  if  it  came  to  an  action  his 
ship  would  be  well  handled,  and  we  had  noticed  that  she 
carried  far  heavier  metal  than  our  own  vessel.  But  the 
Dolphin  had  got  a  good  start  of  her,  and  we  did  not  sup- 
pose it  possible  that  she  could  be  overtaken. 

I  had  never  spent  a  more  uncomfortable  night  than 
those  hours  in  the  hold.  I  could  not  sleep ;  the  light  went 
out ;  and  in  the  darkness  rats  scurried  hither  and  thither, 
and  I  had  to  keep  my  legs  and  arms  in  motion  to  ward 
them  off.  There  was  no  glimmer  of  light  from  the  out- 
side, and  it  was  only  when  the  seaman  again  appeared 
with  food  that  we  knew  morning  had  dawned.  He  told 
us  with  a  grin  that  our  vessel  was  fast  being  overhauled, 
and  assured  us  that  she  had  certainly  made  her  last 
privateering  voyage  under  the  English  flag.  The  mate 
cursed  him  vigorously,  rather  from  habit  than  from  ill- 
temper,  and  the  seaman  shut  us  in,  leaving  us  once  more 
in  total  darkness. 

My  fellow  prisoners  talked  among  themselves,  using 
language  that  made  me  shudder.  I  rested  my  head  on 
my  hands,  stopping  my  ears,  and  giving  myself  up  to  a 
dismal  reverie.  From  this  I  was  suddenly  startled  by  a 
dull  report  overhead,  and  a  slight  trembling  of  the  vessel. 

"Ads  my  life !"  cried  the  mate :  "they've  caught  her." 

"Maybe  'tis  another  vessel,"  said  one  of  the  men. 

"Shut  your  mouth/'  was  the  reply,  "and  list  for  an 
answer." 

In  a  few  moments  there  came  a  muffled  report  through 
the  timbers. 

"There's  to  be  a  fight,  sure  enough,"  said  the  mate, 
"though  what  the  captain  can  be  a-thinkin'  of  beats  me  al- 
together." 


DUGUAY-TROUIN  135 

"I  would  do  the  same,"  I  said,  "and  so  would  any  Eng- 
lishman worth  his  salt." 

"Then  you'd  be  as  big  a  fool  as  he  is,"  was  the  blunt 
retort. 

It  was  a  tantalizing  position  to  be  in.  Here  we  were, 
boxed  up  in  the  darkness,  condemned  to  listen  to  a  duel 
of  firing  at  long  range,  without  any  means  of  knowing 
what  its  effects  were,  hoping  that  our  countrymen  would 
win,  yet  aware  that  if  the  vessels  came  to  close  quarters 
a  shot  might  plunge  among  us  and  send  us  all  into  eter- 
nity. We  could  tell  that  the  vessel  was  racing  through 
the  water  at  a  great  rate,  but,  to  judge  by  the  reports 
that  reached  our  ears,  the  distance  between  the  com- 
batants was  not  diminishing.  The  alternation  of  shots 
continued  for  some  time ;  then  suddenly  the  ship  swung 
round  with  a  violence  that  threw  us  all  in  a  heap,  and 
caused  me  to  bump  my  head  hard  against  the  wall. 

"Helm's  hard  up,"  said  the  mate,  "she's  going  to  try 
a  broadside." 

And  in  a  few  seconds  there  was  a  thunderous  roar 
above,  and  a  shock  that  made  the  vessel  stagger.  There 
was  no  reply  save  a  single  shock,  from  which  I  judged1 
that  the  Dolphin  was  holding  her  course ;  and  it  was  clear 
that  the  broadside  had  done  little  or  no  damage,  for  the 
ship  again  swung  round,  and  the  duel  of  single  shots 
began  again.  But  we  could  tell  that  the  vessels  were  now 
nearer  to  each  other,  and  after  a  time  we  heard  a  series 
of  dull  reports,  followed  by  a  thud  or  two  and  the  sound 
of  rending  and  tearing  woodwork  above  and  around. 
'Twas  a  broadside  from  the  Dolphin.  But  before  we 
had  time  to  rejoice  at  the  success  of  our  comrades,  or  to 
hope  that  their  shots  had  brought  down  enough  of  the 
French  ship's  spars  to  disable  her,  the  vessel  shook  again 


136  HUMPHREY   BOLD 

under  a  terrific  discharge  of  her  ordnance,  and  we,  know- 
ing how  vastly  superior  was  her  armament  to  that  of  our 
own  ship,  were  in  no  little  anxiety  as  to  the  effect  of  this 
second  broadside  at  shorter  range.  Another  and  an- 
other broadside  followed  from  each  combatant :  and  then 
came  to  our  ears  from  the  deck  above  a  great  yell  of 
triumph.  My  heart  sank  within  me ;  the  mate  let  out  a 
volley  of  oaths ;  'twas  impossible  to  mistake  the  meaning 
of  that  shrill  cry.  The  cannonading  ceased.  For  a  time 
that  seemed  endless  there  was  silence,  save  for  a  shout 
now  and  then,  and  a  thud  that  might  be  caused  by  the 
work  of  replacing  or  repairing  an  injured  spar.  Sud- 
denly the  hatch  above  was  lifted,  raised,  and  when  our 
eyes  became  accustomed  to  the  light  we  saw  men  swarm- 
ing down  the  ladder  into  the  hold.  A  French  seaman 
among  them  relit  the  lamp,  and  we  recognized  the  faces 
of  some  of  our  comrades  on  the  Dolphin.  Among  the 
first  I  saw  old  Dilly,  and  behind  him  came  Cyrus  Vetch, 
his  countenance  black  with  rage.  As  soon  as  he  was 
among  us  he  launched  out  into  bitter  complaints  at  be- 
ing herded  with  common  seamen — he  who  by  right  and 
courtesy  ought  to  have  been  classed  with  the  officers  and 
allowed  the  hospitality  of  a  cabin. 

"  'Tis  infamous,"  he  cried ;  "  'tis  a  scandal  to  treat 
a  gentleman  with  such  indignity.  Duguay-Trouin  was 
/not  so  served  when  he  was  brought  prisoner  to  Ply- 
mouth." 

"Stow  your  jab!"  cried  the  mate  angrily.  "Ain't  we 
good  enough  for  you?  What's  a  land  lubber  like  you 
doing  here  at  all?  We  ain't  aboard  the  Dolphin  now, 
I'll  let  ye  know,  and  here  we're  all  equal,  and  smite  my 
eye,  if  you  complains  of  your  company,  and  gives  honest 


DUGUAY-TROUIN  137 

seamen  any  more  of  your  paw-wawing,  'ware  timbers  is 
what  I  say  to  you,  my  gemman,  or  I'll  rake  you  fore  and 
aft." 

From  which  it  may  be  concluded  that  Vetch  was  by 
no  means  a  favorite  with  the  crew  of  the  Dolphin. 


CHAPTER  XIV 

HARMONY  AND  SOME  DISCORD 

From  Dilly  I  learned  that  the  Dolphin  had  suffered  se- 
verely in  the  engagement.  A  third  of  the  crew  had  been 
killed  or  wounded:  Captain  Cawson  himself  was  dead. 
The  survivors  had  been  divided,  some  being  left  in  the 
Dolphin;  the  remainder  being  brought  to  the  Francois; 
among  these  were  the  more  severely  wounded,  who  were 
tended  with  much  humanity  in  the  sick  bay. 

Now  that  the  chase  and  the  fight  were  over,  we  were 
allowed  on  deck  a  few  at  a  time,  a  boon  for  which  I  was 
very  grateful.  I  was  surprised  at  the  youth  of  our  cap- 
tor, the  renowned  Duguay-Trouin.  He  looked  little 
older  than  myself,  and  was  in  fact,  as  I  afterwards  dis- 
covered, but  twenty-three  years  of  age.  His  youthful 
appearance  somewhat  heartened'  me.  Here  was  a  man 
(so  ran  my  thought)  but  little  my  senior,  yet  he  had 
already  won  a  great  name  for  daring  and  courage;  he 
had  been  captured  and  imprisoned,  but  had  escaped,  and 
was  now  again  active  in  his  vocation.  Other  men  as  well 
as  I  had  their  mischances  and  surmounted  them:  why 
should  not  I?  Thus  it  happened  that  when,  a  few  days 
later,  we  arrived  at  the  French  port  of  St.  Malo,  and 
were  handed  over  to  the  authorities  of  the  prison  there, 
I  was  not  so  depressed  in  spirits  as  I  had  expected  to  be. 

This  was  fortunate,  for  the  lot  to  which  we  were  con- 
demned was  miserable  in  the  extreme.  We  had  wretched 
quarters,  foul  and  unhealthy;  some  five  hundred  pris- 

138 


HARMONY   AND   SOME   DISCORD       139 

oners,  most  of  them  captured  in  merchant  vessels,  were 
herded  in  a  space  not  large  enough  for  the  comfortable 
habitation  of  half  that  number.  In  my  heart  I  fully  sym- 
pathized with  Vetch's  objection  to  being  classed  among 
the  seamen,  for  they  were  in  the  main  a  sorry  lot,  filthy 
in  their  habits  and  base-minded.  Some,  like  old  Dilly, 
were  of  a  higher  type,  and  these  consorted  together  as 
much  as  possible. 

The  conditions  at  St.  Malo  were  so  bad  that  I  was  not 
sorry,  when,  after  some  few  weeks  there,  a  great  num- 
ber of  us  were  marched  out  under  an  armed  guard  to  a 
castle  about  fifteen  miles  to  the  southeast.  A  very  woe- 
begone battalion  we  must  have  looked  as  we  tramped  to 
our  new  quarters — many  of  us  suffering  from  prison 
fever,  all  more  or  less  in  rags,  and  half-starved.  The 
change  was  due  to  no  compassion  on  the  part  of  the  au- 
thorities, but  to  an  alarm  in  the  town.  A  sloop  had  come 
in,  it  appeared,  with  news  that  an  attack  was  intended 
against  the  port  by  no  other  than  Benbow,  and  it  was 
feared  that  the  prisoners  might  seize  this  opportunity 
for  a  mutiny.  I  did  not  learn  this  until  after  we  had 
reached  our  new  prison ;  it  came  out  through  one  of  our 
jailers,  a  talkative  fellow  who  liked  to  air  his  little  Eng- 
lish, otherwise  I  should  not  have  felt  so  much  pleased 
at  the  change  of  quarters;  though  even  if  Benbow  had 
assaulted  the  town  and  we  prisoners  had  risen,  it  was 
improbable  that  we  could  have  found  a  means  of  escap- 
ing to  him. 

The  new  prison  was,  as  I  have  said,  a  castle,  or  to 
speak  more  precisely,  the  ruins  of  one.  It  had  once  been 
a  place  of  considerable  dimensions  and  of  great  strength ; 
but  it  was  now  far  gone  towards  demolition.  The  outer 
walls  still  stood,  completely  encircled  by  a  moat,  the  only 
entrance  being  by  way  of  the  draw-bridge  which,  to 


140  HUMPHREY   BOLD 

judge  by  its  moss-grown  edges,  had  not  been  raised  for 
many  a  day.  Marching  over  it,  and  through  an  arch- 
way, we  found  ourselves  in  the  courtyard,  a  large  area 
roughly  square  in  shape,  and  open  to  the  sky.  At  the 
farther  end,  built  against  the  wall  in  the  intervals  between 
three  round  towers,  a  kind  of  wooden  barracks  had  been 
erected  for  our  accommodation,  the  only  habitable  portion 
of  the  castle  being  the  keep,  flanking  the  entrance,  and 
this  was  devoted  to  our  guardians.  Our  barracks  was  in 
two  stories,  the  lower  being  intended  for  use  by  day,  the 
upper,  which  was  reached  by  a  ladder,  containing  our 
sleeping  apartments.  The  rooms  on  the  ground  were  lit 
by  windows  opening  into  the  courtyard ;  the  sleeping 
rooms  only  by  narrow  gratings  in  the  wooden  wall.  I 
did  not  learn  all  this  at  once,  of  course;  but  I  have  set 
it  down  here  for  convenience  sake. 

On  arriving  at  the  castle  we  were  marshaled  in  the 
courtyard,  and  taken  into  the  keep  one  by  one.  There, 
with  the  aid  of  the  loquacious  sergeant  as  interpreter,  we 
gave  our  names,  ages,  and  descriptions  to  the  command- 
ant, a  sour-visaged  fellow,  who  entered  the  particulars 
in  a  book.  Then  we  were  severally  assigned  our  sleep- 
ing quarters,  and  I  found  myself  one  of  a  squad  of  ten, 
none  of  whom  was  known  to  me  with  the  exception  of 
Vetch  and  Dilly.  Vetch  once  more  protested  against 
being  ranked  with  common  seamen,  and  demanded  to  be 
released  on  parole;  but  the  commandant  ordered  him 
gruffly  to  be  silent,  and  he  went  away  very  sullen  and 
wrathful. 

Our  sleeping  apartment,  I  found,  was  a  small  room 
at  the  right-hand  corner  of  the  barracks — so  small  that 
I  foresaw  our  nights  would  not  be  comfortable.  There 
were  five  truckle-beds  ranged  against  the  wall ;  'twas  clear 
that  each  of  us  would  have  a  bedfellow.  The  bedding 


HARMONY  AND   SOME   DISCORD       141 

consisted  of  a  hard  straw  mattress  and  a  single  woollen 
coverlet  which,  judging  by  its  tenuity,  had  already  seen 
service  with  generations  of  sleepers.  Luckily  it  was  early 
autumn;  we  should  not  need  to  dread  the  winter  cold 
for  some  time  to  come;  and  I  was  young  and  light- 
hearted  enough  to  flatter  myself  with  the  fancy  that  we 
should  either  be  released  as  the  sequel  to  some  terrible 
defeat  of  the  French,  or  that  we  should  find  some  way 
of  escape. 

Being  myself  long  and  broad,  I  made  matters  even 
by  choosing  as  my  bedfellow  a  little  fellow  named  Jo- 
seph Runnles,  lean  as  a  rake,  and  of  a  quiet  and  melan- 
choly countenance,  thinking  that  such  an  one  would  not 
discommode  me  in  either  body  or  mind.  My  choice  was 
justified;  he  neither  kicked  nor  snored,  and  was  so  re- 
served and  silent  that  I  believe  I  did  not  exchange  with 
him  a  dozen  words  a  week. 

Our  new  quarters  proved  a  deal  less  dreary  than  those 
we  had  left  at  St.  Malo.  The  weather  was  fine;  there 
was  ample  elbow-room  in  the  courtyard,  and  though  we 
were  closely  watched  by  the  guard  constantly  set  at  the 
gate,  we  had  our  liberty  during  the  day.  At  night,  when 
we  repaired  to  our  dormitories,  the  doors  opening  on  the 
courtyard  were  locked,  and  we  could  dully  hear  the 
tramping  of  the  sentry  along  the  battlements  above  our 
heads.  In  a  few  days  we  had  settled  down  in  our  new 
life.  Some  of  the  men  passed  all  the  daylight  hours  in 
throwing  dice  or  playing  games  of  chance,  not  without 
frequent  quarrels,  which  our  guardians  ignored  so  long 
as  they  remained  short  of  fighting.  Others,  more  indus- 
triously inclined,  occupied  themselves  in  fashioning  toys 
from  wood  supplied  them,  which  were  afterwards  sold 
in  neighboring  villages,  the  proceeds  (after  a  very  liberal 
commission  had  been  subtracted)  being  devoted  to  the 


142  HUMPHREY   BOLD 

purchase  of  additions  to  their  meagre  fare.  As  for  me, 
the  idea  of  escape  was  already  beating  in  my  mind,  and 
as  a  first  step  I  resolved  to  pick  up  a  knowledge  of  the 
French  tongue,  of  which  I  was  almost  wholly  ignorant. 
Accordingly  I  lost  no  opportunity  of  conversing  with 
soldiers  of  the  guard,  with  whom  I  ingratiated  myself  by 
showing  them  some  of  the  tricks  of  fence  taught  me  by 
Captain  Galsworthy.  The  only  work  which  all  the  pris- 
oners had  to  perform  in  turn  was  the  drawing  of  water 
from  a  well  in  the  keep.  The  water  of  the  moat,  as  I 
had  seen  when  we  crossed  it  on  entering,  was  covered 
with  a  green  scum,  the  rivulet  which  fed  it  not  being  of 
sufficient  volume  to  keep  it  in  circulation. 

A  few  days  after  our  arrival  I  was  laid  low  by  a  mild 
attack  of  jail  fever,  of  which  I  had  doubtless  brought  the 
seeds  from  St.  Malo.  I  kept  my  bed  for  a  couple  of  days, 
being  tended  with  much  kindliness  by  a  little  old  surgeon 
attached  to  the  garrison.  I  should  not  have  mentioned 
this  trifling  sickness  but  that  it  prevented  me  from  wit- 
nessing the  arrival  of  a  fresh  batch  of  prisoners ;  so  that 
when  I  descended  on  the  third  day  into  the  courtyard  I 
was  mightily  surprised  to  see,  at  that  very  instant  carry- 
ing a  bucket  of  water  across  from  the  keep,  no  other  than 
my  old  friend  Joe  Punchard. 

"Joe!"  I  cried,  beyond  measure  delighted  at  seeing  a 
familiar  face. 

Down  went  the  bucket  with  a  clatter  upon  the  stones, 
and  Joe  looked  around  as  though  scarce  trusting  his  ears. 
Then  seeing  me  he  waddled  across,  seized  my  hand,  and 
shook  it  with  a  hearty  good-will  that  was  somewhat  over 
vigorous  for  my  enfeebled  condition. 

"Ods  firkins,  sir!"  he  cried,  "my  head  spins  like  a 
whirligig.  How  dost  come  here  among  these  heathen 
Frenchies,  and  all  the  way  from  Shrewsbury  too?" 


143 

Before  I  was  half  way  through  my  story,  one  of  the 
soldiers  ran  up  and  ordered  Joe  to  fill  his  bucket  again 
and  wash  out  the  lower  rooms. 

"Ay,  I'm  a  swab  again,  sure  enough,"  says  poor  Joe, 
going  off  ruefully  to  his  task.  He  was  soon  back,  and 
when  he  had  heard  me  through  my  account  of  what  had 
befallen  me  since  I  saw  him  last,  be  broke  out  into  ve- 
hement denunciation  of  Cyrus  Vetch  and  all  the  race  of 
Cluddes.  Vetch  himself  happening  to  pass  at  that  mo- 
ment, wearing  the  hang-dog  look  habitual  to  him  since 
fate  had  made  him  a  prisoner,  Joe  bursts  out: 

"Ay,  you  may  well  look  ashamed  of  yourself,  you  vil- 
lain! Where's  that  will,  rogue?  What  have  you  done 
wi'  't?" 

Vetch  turned  a  shade  paler,  I  thought.  I  had  never 
said  a  word  to  him  about  the  loss  of  my  father's  will,  and 
had  no  intention  of  doing  so,  biding  my  time,  and  I  was 
a  little  vexed  that  Joe  in  his  impetuous  espousal  of  m^ 
cause  had  let  the  fellow  know  of  our  suspicions.  He 
halted  a  moment,  then  with  a  "What  are  you  prating 
about,  turnip-head?"  he  turned  on  his  heel  and  walked 
away. 

Joe,  in  a  great  rage,  was  for  springing  after  him,  but 
I  caught  him  by  the  arm  and  begged  him  to  let  the  mat- 
ter rest. 

"Snatch  my  bowlines!"  he  cried,  in  a  tone  reminding 
me  of  Captain  Cawson;  "he'd  better  'ware  of  running 
across  my  course.  If  I  come  athwart  his  hawser  I'll  turn 
him  keel  upwards,  I  will." 

I  diverted  the  current  of  his  anger  by  asking  him  how 
he  had  become  a  prisoner  of  the  French. 

"Why,  in  a  deuced  unlucky  way,"  says  he.  "Captain 
Benbow — he's  now  rear-admiral,  but  will  always  be  cap- 
tain to  me — he  had  a  mind  to  draw  alongside  that  there 


144  HUMPHREY   BOLD 

place  they  call  St.  Malo,  and  cut  out  a  frigate  of  Doggy 
Trang  he  believed  to  be  there,  and  he  sent  me  and  some 
more  by  night  to  take  the  bearings  of  the  harbor.  We 
was  in  a  skiff,  and  a  gale  came  on  and  beat  us  about  all 
night  and  split  our  sails  and  drove  us  ashore  in  the  very 
teeth  of  a  crew  o*  Frenchies.  There  was  a  tight  little 
scr image,  I  promise  you,  but  they  were  two  to  one,  and 
grappled  us  close,  and  clapped  a  stopper  on,  our  cable, 
hang  'em.  They  chained  us  together,  the  dogs,  and 
marched  us  into  St.  Malo  with  scarce  a  rag  to  our  backs, 
and  yesterday  they  sent  me  and  some  more  here." 

"And  right  glad  I  am  they  did,  Joe.  But  surely  Cap- 
tain Benbow  did  not  send  you  in  charge  of  the  party  ?" 

"Well,  no,  if  you  put  it  so,  he  didn't.  We  was  in  com- 
mand of  Lieutenant  Curtis." 

"And  is  he  here  too?" 

"No.  He  happened  to  have  a  pocketful  o'  money,  and 
so  they  let  him  sling  his  hammock  in  the  town,  where  he 
could  spend  it.  When  it  is  gone,  belike  they  will  send 
him  to  join  us." 

"And  let  us  hope  that  we'll  be  gone  as  soon  as  his 
money,  Joe.  I  am  mighty  glad  you  are  here;  for  if  we 
put  our  heads  together  we  can  surely  find  some  way  of 
getting  free." 

"Bless  your  eyes,  don't  I  wish  we  may.  Maybe  there's 
'a  fate  in  it,  sir.  Fate  jined  you  and  me  when  it  made  me 
set  Vetch  a-rolling  in  the  barrel,  and  'tis  fate  has  jined 
us  all  three  here.  Ay,  please  God,  sir,  one  day  we'll  slip 
our  cables,  clap  on  all  canvas,  and  steer  for  the  north, 
though  how,  whereby,  and  by  what  means  we  can  do 
it  beats  Joe  Punchard." 

The  companionship  of  Joe,  at  a  time  when  I  was  weak 
from  my  sickness,  mightily  cheered  me,  and  we  spent 
much  of  each  day  together.  Our  longing  to  be  free  did 


HARMONY  AND   SOME   DISCORD       145 

but  increase  as  the  days  passed.  The  monotony  of 
prison  life  fretted  us,  Joe  perhaps  less  than  me,  for  his 
life  had  been  harder  than  mine,  and  as  the  days  grew 
shorter,  and  the  nipping  cold  of  winter  by  degrees  over- 
took us,  we  began  to  know  what  real  wretchedness  is. 
By  day  we  could  warm  ourselves  with  exercise  and  active 
sports  in  the  courtyard,  but  at  night  we  shivered  under 
our  thin  coverlets,  and  I  found  myself  by  and  by  wishing 
that  my  bedfellow  Runnles  had  a  little  more  flesh  on  his 
bones,  for  a  lean  man  is  no  comfort  in  bed  on  a  bitter 
night.  Joe  was  not  in  my  dormitory,  or  I  should  cer- 
tainly have  bedded  with  him.  Above  everything  else, 
I  think,  the  wretched  food  made  us  unhappy.  If  a  man 
be  but  well  fed  he  can  endure  much  hardship  and  trouble, 
and  I  had  never  wanted  in  this  respect.  The  prison  food 
was  bad,  ill-cooked,  and  meagre ;  and  though  Joe,  for  one, 
might  have  procured  better  if  he  had  chosen  to  employ 
himself  in  his  old  trade  of  coopering,  he  refused  to  do 
so  after  making  one  barrel,  the  price  of  which,  after  the 
soldiers'  commission  had  been  deducted,  was  something 
less  than  a  fourth  of  what  it  would  have  been  in  England. 

"  'Noint  my  block !"  he  cried,  when  the  pitiful  sum  was 
placed  in  his  hand.  "Dost  think  a  Shrewsbury  man  '11 
be  done  out  of  his  dues  by  a  codger  of  a  Frenchman  what 
he  don't  vally  no  more  than  pork-slush  or  a  stinking  dog- 
fish ?  Split  my  binnacle  if  I  be !" 

And  he  flung  the  money  at  the  amazed  Frenchman, 
and  kept  his  word  to  work  at  his  old  trade  no  more. 

I  think  this  sturdiness  of  his  raised  him  somewhat  in 
the  estimation  of  our  jailers,  and  in  spite  of  the  oppro- 
brious epithets  he  applied  to  them  (which  to  be  sure  they 
did  not  understand)  he  was  soon  as  popular  with  them 
as  Vetch  was  the  reverse.  Joe  was  blessed  with  a  great 
fund  of  good  humor,  which  withstood  all  privation  and 


146  HUMPHREY    BOLD 

restraint.  He  growled  and  groaned  at  being  compelled 
to  take  his  turn  in  scouring  the  floors  and  other  menial 
tasks,  but  after  emitting  a  stream  of  hot  language,  which 
ever  appears  to  flow  very  freely  from  the  lips  of  sailor 
men,  he  went  his  way  with  great  cheerfulness.  He  joked 
with  his  fellow  prisoners,  and  being  of  a  loquacious  turn, 
had  many  things  to  tell  them  of  the  doings  of  his  hero, 
Captain  Benbow. 

Vetch,  on  the  contrary,  was  what  the  Scriptures  call 
a  "continual  dropping."  He  kept  himself  apart,  sulking 
the  livelong  day,  scarce  ever  speaking,  and  when  he  did 
speak  using  a  tone  which  the  Grand  Turk  might  employ 
towards  a  beggar.  It  was  true  enough  that  the  prisoners 
were  inferior  to  him  in  quality,  but,  their  lot  and  circum- 
stances being  the  same,  it  was  decidedly  a  mistake  to  make 
the  others  feel  their  inferiority,  and,  as  I  think,  a  mark  of 
ill-breeding  to  boot.  His  few  words  were  sneers,  and  he 
had  a  contemptuous  way  of  looking  at  a  man  that  made 
one  itch  to  thrash  him.  At  length  he  was  thrashed,  and 
very  smartly,  by  a  man  in  our  dormitory,  and  after  that 
he  was  utterly  ignored,  by  general  consent.  It  happened 
in  this  wise. 

One  bleak  day  of  mud  and  rain,  when  we  were  driven 
by  the  weather  out  of  the  courtyard  into  the  lower  rooms 
of  the  barracks,  and  were  sitting  in  doleful  dumps,  at  a 
loss  how  to  pass  the  time,  Joe  Punchard  cried  out  of  a 
sudden : 

"Come,  souls,  what's  a  spell  of  foul  weather  to  men 
that  have  sailed  the  salt  seas !  Haul  forward  your  stools, 
mates,  and  we'll  have  a  concert  and  make  all  snug.  I 
warrant  some  of  you  can  troll  a  ditty,  though  ye  be  too 
modest  to  own  it;  and  not  being  plagued  wi'  modesty 
myself,  I'll  heave  anchor  first" 

I  knew  nothing  of  Joe's  musical  powers,  and  it  was 


HARMONY   AND   SOME   DISCORD       147 

with  no  little  surprise  I  discovered  that  he  had  an  excel- 
lent voice  of  the  pitch  they  call  barytone.    He  began : 


Of  all  the  lives,  I  ever  say, 

A  pirate's  be  for  I ; 
Hap  what  hap  may  he's  allus  gay 

And  drinks  an'  bungs  his  eye. 
For  his  work  he's  never  loath; 

An'  a-pleasurin'  he  will  go ; 
Tho'  sartin  sure  to  be  popt  off. 

Yo  ho,  with  the  rum  below. 


At  the  conclusion  of  the  stanza  his  audience  broke  into 
loud  applause.  And  then,  with  a  sheepish  air  that  set 
me  a-smiling,  Joseph  Runnles,  my  bedfellow,  the  little 
silent  man  of  whom  I  have  spoken,  drew  out  of  his  pocket 
the  parts  of  a  flute,  and  putting  them  together,  set  it  to 
his  lips  and  accompanied  Joe  through  the  next  stanza, 
picking  up  the  tune  with  a  facility  that  spoke  well  for  his 
musical  ear. 


In  Bristowe  I  left  Poll  ashore, 

Well  stored  wi'  togs  and  gold; 
An'  off  I  goes  to  sea  for  more, 

A-piratin'  so  bold. 
An'  wounded  in  the  arm  I  got, 

An'  then  a  pretty  blow ; 
Comes  home  I  finds  Poll  flowed  away. 

Yo  ho,  with  the  rum  below. 


"Adad,  brother,"  cries  Joe,  clapping  the  little  man  on 
the  shoulder,  "why  have  you  stowed  away  your  noble 
talents  so  long  under  hatches?  I've  sailed  the  seas  for 
many  a  year ;  east,  west,  north  and  south,  as  the  saying 
is ;  Blacks,  Indians,  Moors,  Morattos,  and  Sepoys ;  but 
smite  my  timbers,  never  such  a  man  of  music  have  I 
drawn  alongside  of  before." 

Runnles  blushed  like  a  girl,  and  said  never  a  word, 


148  HUMPHREY   BOLD 

but  blew  the  moisture  out  of  his  flute,  ready  for  tKe  next 
stanza. 

An'  when  my  precious  leg  was  lopt, 

Just  for  a  bit  of  fun, 
I  picks  it  up,  on  t'other  hopt, 

An"  rammed  it  in  a  gun. 
"What's  that  for?"  cries  out  Salem  Dick. 

"What  for,  my  jumpin'  beau? 
Why,  to  give  the  lubbers  one  more  kick !" 
iYo  ho,  with  the  rum  below. 

By  this  time  the  other  men  had  got  the  hang  of  the 
song,  and  when  Joe  started  the  next  stanza  they  joined 
in,  trolling  the  tune  (they  knew  not  the  words  as  yet)  in 
voices  high  and  low,  rough  and  coarse  for  the  most  part, 
and  with  more  heartiness  than  melody.  This  happy 
thought  of  Joe's  cured  our  dumps  and  put  us  all  in  a 
good  temper,  and  for  the  rest  of  that  morning  we  sat 
singing  songs,  and  listening  to  the  tootling  of  Runnles' 
flute,  when  the  little  man  could  be  prevailed  on  to  treat 
us  to  a  solo. 

"You  be  mighty  bashful  for  a  sailor-man,"  said  Joe 
at  the  end  of  the  concert,  "partickler  as  your  name  be 
Joe  like  mine,  but  we  won't  let  'ee  hide  your  talents  any 
more,  split  my  braces  if  we  will." 

It  was  on  the  night  of  that  day  that  Vetch  got  his 
thrashing.  We  had  gone  early  to  our  dormitory  because 
of  the  rain,  and  being  unable  to  sleep  for  the  cold,  one 
of  the  men  suggested  that  Runnles  should  give  us  a  tune. 

"  Tis  comfortin'  to  the  spirits,"  said  the  man,  a  big 
fellow  known  to  us  as  the  bosun :  his  name  was  Peter 
Wiggett.  Runnles,  evidently  gratified  at  this  mark  of 
appreciation,  put  his  flute  together  and  began  to  pipe  the 
tune  of  Mr.  Ackroyd's  famous  song  of  the  fight  in  '92 
when  Admiral  Russell  beat  the  French.  This,  to  be  sure, 
was  rather  inspiriting  than  soothing,  and  thus  perhaps 


HARMONY  AND   SOME   DISCORD       149 

there  was  a  shadow  of  excuse  for  Vetch  when  he  called 
out  from  under  his  coverlet  (he  lay  in  the  next  bed)  : 

"Cease  that  squealing,  hang  you,  and  let  a  man  get  to 
sleep." 

"Belay  there !"  shouted  the  bosun.  "Pipe  away,  Runn- 
les,  and  we'll  love  you,  my  hearty." 

Runnles  struck  up  again,  but  he  had  not  gone  far  (it 
was  to  the  line,  "To  meet  the  gallant  Russell  in  combat  on 
the  deep")  when  the  fluting  suddenly  ceased,  and  we 
heard  a  cry  that  was  certainly  a  squeal.  Vetch  had  got  out 
of  bed  in  the  dark  and,  snatching  the  flute  from  Runnles' 
hand,  caught  him  by  the  throat.  I  sprang  up  from 
Runnles'  side,  but  the  bosun  from  the  bed  beyond  was 
before  me. 

"Avast,  you  lubber!"  he  cries,  flinging  himself  on 
Vetch;  "I  thought  we  should  grapple  one  day:  now  I'll 
bring  you  up  by  the  head,  you  swine." 

And  with  that  he  took  Vetch  with  the  left  hand,  and 
belabored  him  with  the  right  until  the  poor  wretch 
fairly  howled  for  mercy.  Then  he  threw  him  on  to  his 
bed  (with  some  damage,  I  fear,  to  Dilly,  who  shared  it), 
and  bade  Runnles  play  up:  but  the  little  man  was  so 
much  upset  at  the  turn  affairs  had  taken  that  he  declared 
his  lips  were  too  dry  to  blow  a  note,  and  indeed  it  was 
several  days  before  he  could  be  prevailed  on  to  flute 
again. 


CHAPTER  XV 

THE  BASS  VIOL 

Where  one  leads,  others  are  sure  to  follow.  It  was 
wonderful  how  many  of  the  prisoners  discovered  a  talent 
for  music  after  Punchard  and  Runnles  had  thus  led  the 
way.  Our  jailers  encouraged  this  pastime;  it  was  not 
merely  harmless  in  itself,  but  it  had  a  quietening  effect 
on  the  temper  of  the  men,  and  the  squabbles  and  brawls 
among  them  notably  diminished.  One  of  the  Frenchmen 
unearthed  an  old  fiddle,  and  though  one  of  its  strings 
was  wanting,  a  man  named  Ben  Tolliday  contrived  to 
scrape  very  passable  melody  out  of  it.  Old  John  Dilly 
announced  that  he  had  played  the  cornet  in  his  youth, 
and  before  very  long  an  instrument  was  found  for  him, 
and  after  a  few  days'  practice  (during  which  we  had  to 
suffer  a  variety  of  discordant  and  ear-splitting  noises) 
he  recovered  something  of  his  former  skill.  An  old  drum 
with  a  very  loose  membrane  was  found  in  the  lumber 
room  of  the  keep,  and  this  the  bosun  appropriated, 
though  being  quite  destitute  of  a  sense  of  rhythm  he 
made  but  an  indifferent  performer.  Some  of  the  men 
fashioned  original  instruments  for  themselves,  one  of 
these,  a  mouth  organ,  being  a  real  triumph  of  ingenuity. 
I,  alas,  had  no  singing  voice,  and  was  totally  ignorant  of 
music;  but  Joe  kindly'  informed  me  that  any  fool  could 
play  the  bones,  and  made  two  pairs  of  castanets  for  me 
out  of  beef  bones  supplied  by  the  soldiers  (we  had  no 
joints  ousel ves,  but  only  a  bullock's  cheek  now  and  then) 

150 


THE   BASS   VIOL  151 

so  that  I  too  was  able  to  bear  my  part  in  the  concerts 
which  now  became  of  daily  occurrence.  The  soldiers  of 
the  guard  often  came  and  listened  to  our  performances, 
and  even  the  sour-faced  commandant  once  condescended 
to  form  part  of  our  audience,  and  smiled  broadly  when 
Dilly,  who  was  a  Devon  man,  sang  with  much  expressive 
pantomine  the  pleasant  ditty  of  Widdicombe  Fair,  though 
the  Frenchman  did  not  understand  a  word  of  it. 

This  condescension  on  the  part  of  the  commandant  em- 
boldened me  to  proffer  a  request  which  I  had  been  medi- 
tating for  some  days.  I  had  by  no  means  given  up  the 
hope  of  escaping  from  the  castle,  but  the  more  I  thought 
of  it,  the  less  likely  it  appeared  that  I  could  succeed  with- 
out assistance.  Of  course,  Joe  Punchard  should  accom- 
pany me,  and  when  I  talked  the  matter  over  with  him, 
neither  of  us  had  the  heart  to  scheme  for  our  own  free- 
dom without  regard  to  those  of  our  fellow  prisoners  with 
whom  we  had  become  more  closely  connected  through 
our  musical  interests. 

"There  is  old  John  Dilly,"  I  said  one  day,  when  we 
were  discussing  the  subject,  "he  was  good  to  me  aboard 
the  Dolphin;  I  shouldn't  like  to  leave  him  behind." 

"True,"  says  Punchard,  "and  Runnles  is  a  quiet,  good 
soul ;  besides  his  name  is  Joe." 

"And  the  bosun,  he's  as  strong  as  an  ox,  and  might 
be  a  useful  man." 

"And  Tolliday,  he's  for  ever  sighing  about  Molly,  his 
sweetheart;  'twould  make  two  folks  happy  (maybe)  if 
he  got  away  among  us." 

Thus  we  ran  over  the  list  of  our  friends  very  seriously, 
though  it  tickled  my  sense  of  humor  when  I  remem- 
bered that  we  had  not  as  yet  the  ghost  of  a  notion  how 
this  escape  we  talked  of  was  to  be  contrived.  But  having 
thus  selected  our  partners  in  the  attempt  we  were  re- 


152  HUMPHREY   BOLD 

solved  to  make  some  day,  we  decided  that  it  would  be  a 
step  in  the  right  direction  if  we  all  shared  the  same  dor- 
mitory. We  might  then  talk  over  the  matter  without 
the  danger  of  it  being  blabbed  among  the  whole  body  of 
prisoners.  Accordingly  I  took  advantage  of  the  command- 
ant's gracious  appearance  among  our  audience  to  ask 
him  (having  now  picked  up  enough  French  to  make  my- 
self understood)  to  allow  all  the  members  of  the  band 
to  sleep  together,  explaining  that  we  should  attain  to 
greater  efficiency  if,  after  the  lower  doors  were  locked 
for  the  night,  we  could  practice  for  an  hour  or  so  to- 
gether before  the  sun  went  down.  His  grim  face  relaxed 
into  a  smile  at  the  serious  manner  in  which  we  took  our 
diversion,  and  he  readily  granted  the  permission  we  de- 
sired. By  this  change  we  got  rid  of  Vetch,  who  was 
glad  enough  to  leave  us,  I  doubt  not. 

The  first  step  having  thus  been  gained,  I  began  to  de- 
vote myself  earnestly  to  the  problem  of  escape.  I  did 
not  make  light  of  the  difficulties.  The  only  entrance  to 
the  castle  precincts  was,  as  I  have  said,  the  gateway  at 
the  end  of  the  drawbridge,  and  this  was  so  stoutly  guard- 
ed that  escape  in  daylight  was  impossible.  At  night  we 
were  locked  in  the  dormitory!  nearly  thirty  feet  above 
ground,  with  a  thick  stone  wall  between  us  and  freedom, 
and  supposing  we  could  make  a  hole  in  the  wall,  which 
seemed  unlikely,  there  was  still  the  moat  to  be  reckoned 
with.  It  was  not  only  too  far  below  for  any  one  to  dive 
into  it  with  safety,  but  it  was,  as  I  had  learned  from  the 
soldiers,  choked  with  mud  to  within  a  very  little  of  the 
surface,  so  that  I  could  not  but  doubt  whether  it  were 
possible  even  to  swim  across.  But  I  did  not  despair  of 
crossing  it  if  we  could  only  get  down :  that  was  the  diffi- 
culty, and  for  long  tedious  weeks  it  seemed  to  me  in- 
superable. 


THE   BASS   VIOL  153 

Before  we  had  hit  upon  a  plan,  we  were  thrown  into 
a  great  excitement  by  the  disappearance  of  Vetch.  I  had 
missed  him  for  a  day  or  two  from  the  courtyard,  but 
thought  little  of  it,  supposing  that  he  was  confined  to 
his  dormitory  by  a  touch  of  fever,  as  happened  not  infre- 
quently among  the  prisoners.  But  on  Punchard's  remark- 
ing one  day  that  he  believed  Vetch  was  malingering,  it 
came  out  that  he  had  not  been  seen  by  his  room-mates 
for  nearly  a  week.  Was  it  possible  that  while  we  had 
been  merely  thinking  of  escape,  Vetch  had  found  a  means 
of  escaping?  It  seemed  impossible,  and  when  I  was 
having  my  daily  conversation  with  the  soldiers  of  the 
guard,  I  asked  point-blank  what  had  become  of  him. 
They  laughed  and  chuckled,  and  amused  themselves  for 
some  time  by  giving  all  manner  of  fantastic  explanations, 
which  improved  my  knowledge  of  French,  but  were 
mightily  vexatious.  At  last  I  made  out,  from  hints  and 
half  statements,  that  the  commandant  had  been  dis- 
creetly inquiring  among  some  of  the  prisoners  for  a  man 
who  was  well  acquainted  with  the  river  Avon.  Since 
these  inquiries  ceased  and  Vetch  disappeared  about  the 
same  time,  I  was  free  to  conclude  that  in  Vetch  the  com- 
mandant had  found  his  man.  Had  he  purchased  his  free- 
dom at  the  price  of  treason  to  his  country?  Were  the 
French  meditating  an  attack  on  Bristowe?  These  were 
questions  I  could  not  answer;  but  you  may  be  sure  the 
knowledge  that  Vetch  was  gone  acted  as  a  whip  to  my 
determination,  and  I  was  more  than  ever  resolved  to 
find  some  way  of  leaving  these  walls  behind. 

We  had  concluded,  Punchard  and  I,  that  our  only 
course  must  be  to  pierce  the  castle  wall  and  let  ourselves 
down  to  the  moat  by  means  of  a  rope.  The  latter  portion 
of  this  scheme  being  manifestly  the  more  likely,  we  de- 
cided to  secure  our  rope  first.  This  was  easier  said  than 


154  HUMPHREY   BOLD 

done.  Our  coverlets  were  of  such  thin  and  rotten  mate- 
rial, we  should  need  to  tear  up  several  of  them  before, 
even  carefully  knotted,  they  would  serve  our  purpose, 
and  we  could  not  risk  the  detection  that  would  surely 
follow  if  any  of  them  were  missed  by  our  guards.  When 
I  went  next  to  take  my  turn  at  drawing  water  from  the 
well  I  carefully  examined  the  rope  by  which  the  bucket 
was  let  down,  thinking  it  might  be  possible  to  cut  this 
one  night  at  an  hour  when  its  loss  would  not  be  discov- 
ered till  next  day  and  the  birds  had  flown.  But  a  close 
inspection  showed  that  it  was  very  rotten ;  evidently  it 
had  seen  long  service;  and  while  it  was  still  strong 
enough  to  stand  the  strain  of  a  bucketful  of  water,  I 
could  not  flatter  myself  it  would  safely  bear  my  weight, 
to  say  nothing  of  the  bosun,  who  was  a  deal  heavier. 

But  since  a  rope  we  must  have,  I  pleased  myself  with 
the  fancy  that  if  I  should  succeed  in  procuring  that  it 
might  be  taken  as  a  good  augury  for  success  in  the  more 
difficult  feat,  the  piercing  of  the  wall.  Could  we  make 
a  rope,  I  wondered  ?  We  had  a  fair  quantity  of  bast,  in 
the  mats  that  formed  the  only  covering  of  the  floor  of  our 
barracks,  but  not  near  enough  to  form  a  rope  sufficiently 
stout  to  bear  the  weight  of  even  the  lightest  of  us;  be- 
sides the  tearing  up  of  the  mats  could  not  fail  to  be  dis- 
covered. Racking  my  brains  for  some  means  of  over- 
coming the  difficulty,  I  suddenly  bethought  myself  of 
trying  a  ruse.  I  said  nothing  of  my  intention  to  Punch- 
ard  (to  the  others  I  had  as  yet  not  breathed  a  word  of 
our  purpose)  but  the  next  time  I  went  to  the  well  I  took 
a  knife  with  me,  and,  choosing  a  portion  of  the  rope 
where  it  was  much  frayed,  I  carefully  sawed  through 
one  or  two  of  the  strands  with  the  blunt  edge.  The  re- 
sult was  that  when  I  was  drawing  the  full  bucket  up,  the 
rope  snapped,  the  bucket  fell  to  the  bottom  with  a  clatter, 


THE   BASS    VIOL  155 

and  I  (to  make  the  accident  more  convincing)  toppled 
over  on  my  back.  Up  came  one  of  the  guard,  and  rated 
me  soundly  for  my  clumsiness,  employing  a  succession  of 
abusive  terms  which  I  stored  in  my  memory  for  use  in 
case  of  need.  I  picked  myself  up  slowly,  rubbing  my 
back,  and,  putting  on  the  most  innocent  air  in  the  world, 
I  pointed  to  the  frayed  rope  and  asked  whether  my  cor- 
rector could  expect  such  a  thing  as  that  to  last  for  ever. 
The  man  grumbled  a  good  deal,  but  the  condition  of  the 
rope  admitted  no  answer  to  my  question,  and  I  had  the 
satisfaction  next  day  of  seeing  a  brand  new  rope  attached 
to  a  brand  new  bucket.  I  even  had  the  pleasure  of  using 
it  for  the  first  time,  for  the  old  rope  having  broken  when 
I  was  on  duty,  I  was  condemned  to  the  punishment  of 
drawing  water  for  a  week  afterwards,  an  extension  of 
my  task  which  I  bore  with  wonderful  cheerfulness. 

When  I  told  Punchard  of  what  I  had  done  he  laughed 
with  great  delight,  but  immediately  became  very  sober. 

"  'Tis  all  no  use,  sir,"  says  he  gloomily.  "For  why  ?  I 
can't  swim." 

This  was  a  difficulty  I  had  not  foreseen.  How  is  it,  I 
wonder,  that  so  many  men  who  go  down  to  the  sea  in  ships 
do  not  master  that  most  useful  art — the  very  first,  one 
would  think,  that  should  engage  their  attention?  'Twas 
true,  the  depth  of  water  above  the  mud  in  the  moat  was  so 
little  that  even  the  best  swimmer  would  be  at  a  bad  pass ; 
but  I  hoped  that  with  the  coming  of  the  spring  rains  this 
would  be  remedied.  Yet  if  Punchard  and  any  of  the 
others  were  unable  to  swim,  the  moat  would  be  impas- 
sable were  it  dredged  to  the  bottom;  and  since  we  must 
descend  the  rope  singly,  and  the  water  came  right  up 
to  the  wall,  I  could  not  see  for  the  life  of  me  how  this 
disability  could  be  got  over. 

Finding  our  purpose  thus  estopped  in  this  direction 


156  HUMPHREY   BOLD 

(though  but  for  a  time,  for  my  resolution  was  in  nowise 
weakened),  I  began  to  devote  myself  earnestly  to  what 
I  had  felt  all  along  was  the  crux — the  breaking  through 
the  wall.  So  deeply  was  I  preoccupied  with  this  baffling 
problem  that  I  fear  I  clattered  my  bones  but  half-heart- 
edly in  our  musical  concerts.  Yet  it  was  during  one  of 
these  concerts  that  some  good  genie  flashed  upon  my  in- 
ventir  a  plan  which  promised  (if  it  could  be  carried 
out)  to  solve  the  very  difficulty  I  had  almost  given  up  as 
insoluble.  I  say  it  was  a  good  genie  that  suggested  the 
idea  to  me,  for,  looking  back  upon  it,  I  can  account  for  it 
in  no  other  way. 

I  was  watching  Tolliday  sawing  away  at  his  fiddle,  and 
marveling  (being  ignorant  of  music)  at  the  loud  tones 
which  he  produced  from  so  small  an  instrument.  'Twas 
clear  that  the  hollow  belly  of  the  fiddle  had  some  part  in 
the  effect,  and  then  I  remembered  the  big  bass  viols  I 
had  seen  used  in  the  church  at  home,  and  reflected  that 
the  larger  the  instrument  the  deeper  and  more  powerful 
the  tones.  And  here  came  in  the  genie  to  supply  the 
link  which  led  to  the  formation  of  my  plan.  In  my 
mind's  eye  I  saw  a  big  hollow  vessel  shaped  like  a  bass 
viol  floating  on  the  water  of  the  moat,  and  Joe  Punchard 
clinging  to  it,  and  I  wished  with  all  my  heart  that  one  of 
our  jailers  would  discover  such  an  instrument,  and  hand 
it  to  us  for  the  use  of  our  band.  Twas  but  a  step  from 
wishing  to  devising.  We  had  no  bass  viol ;  could  we  not 
make  one?  No  one  would  oppose  us;  the  band  was 
highly  popular  with  the  garrison,  and  I  was  sure  that 
they  would  willingly  provide  us  with  material  for  the 
construction  of  yet  another  instrument. 

Accordingly,  next  morning  I  suggested  that  we  should 
ask  the  commandant  to  give  us  some  planks  of  wood  with 
which  to  make  an  instrument  of  a  new  model.  The  men 


THE   BASS   VIOL  157 

were  amused  at  the  notion,  never  suspecting  that  I  had 
any  other  design  than  to  enrich  the  harmony  of  our  en- 
semble. 'Twould  be  good  fun,  they  agreed,  though  they 
had  great  doubt  (as  I  had  myself)  whether  our  unskilled 
workmanship  would  produce  anything  but  a  useless  mon- 
strosity so  far  as  music  was  concerned.  They  were  will- 
ing to  try,  however,  the  attempt  would  help  us  $o  kill 
time;  and  the  commandant  proving  perfectly  a^eeable 
to  humor  us,  we  got  the  planks,  borrowed  some  tools  from 
the  soldiers,  and  set  to  work. 

The  next  following  days  saw  half  a  dozen  of  us  busily 
employed  in  the  courtyard  in  knocking  together  a  long 
shallow  box,  in  the  upper  side  of  which  we  pierced 
S-shaped  holes  like  those  of  the  fiddle,  with  a  notched 
bridge  at  about  one-third  of  its  length  for  holding  four 
strings,  and  wooden  screws  at  the  other  end  for  stretch- 
ing them  taut.  Joe  Punchard,  good  fellow,  was  the 
most  ardent  of  the  artificers,  plying  the  tools  with  a  dex- 
terity born  of  his  work  for  master  cooper  Matthew  Mark 
years  before.  We  got  from  the  soldiers,  who  showed  a 
great  interest  in  our  task,  cords  of  different  thickness,  and 
several  lengths  of  iron  wire  which  we  twisted  together 
somewhat  after  the  manner  of  the  thickest  string  of  the 
fiddle.  We  then  stretched  this  and  three  cords  over  the 
bridge  on  the  top  of  the  box,  screwed  them  to  a  high 
tension,  and  plucked  them  to  see  if  they  emitted  notes 
that  could  be  called  musical.  The  result  surpassed  my 
expectations.  Tolliday,  our  fiddler,  declared  that  the 
notes  were  true  music,  though  to  be  sure  not  very  reso- 
nant, and  he  undertook  to  tune  the  strings  in  fifths,  so 
that  it  might  be  able  to  take  a  proper  part  in  our  next 
symphony.  Having  no  bow  with  which  to  scrape  the 
strings,  he  said  that  they  could  only  be  strummed  with 
the  finger  and  thumb,  and  when  he  offered  to  teach  one 


158  HUMPHREY   BOLD 

of  us  thus  to  handle  it,  there  were  many  candidates  for 
the  place,  which  in  the  end  fell  to  a  man  named  Winslow. 
The  men  were  all  mightily  pleased  with  the  success  of 
our  work,  and  I  was  secretly  delighted,  not  with  the  in- 
strument as  a  producer  of  music,  but  at  knowing  that  we 
had  a  box  which  might  serve  those  of  us  who  could  not 
swim  as  a  raft. 

We  had  now  at  command  (if  we  could  secretly  pur- 
loin it)  a  rope  to  let  us  down,  and  a  raft  to  ferry  us  over 
the  moat,  but  we  had  still  to  find  a  means  of  getting  be- 
yond the  wall,  and  to  this  I  bent  all  my  energy  of  mind. 
In  this,  too,  I  took  Joe  Punchard  into  consultation,  and 
we  discussed  all  kinds  of  plans.  With  the  sentry  on 
guard  throughout  the  night  in  the  courtyard  there  was 
no  hope  of  escape  by  the  gate  and  drawbridge.  There 
was  no  opening  in  the  wall.  The  only  possible  means  of 
exit  was  to  cut  a  hole  in  it,  and  this  would  be  a  matter 
of  great  toil,  the  wall  being,  as  some  one  had  told  us,  ten 
feet  thick.  It  consisted,  so  far  as  we  could  tell  from 
the  inside,  of  solid  blocks  of  stone  cemented  together, 
and  when,  at  an  odd  moment  when  no  one  was  looking, 
I  tried  to  scrape  away  some  of  the  cement  between  two 
of  the  stones,  I  found  that  it  was  almost  as  hard  as  the 
stone  itself.  To  cut  through  ten  feet  of  such  solid  ma- 
terial was  a  task  that  might  have  caused  any  one  to  de- 
spair. Still,  it  was  the  only  course  open  to  us,  and  I  have 
never  known  any  task  too  hard  for  patience  and  deter- 
mination. Joe  and  I  decided  that  we  must  gradually 
scrape  away  the  cement  around  one  of  the  blocks  until 
we  could  remove  this  altogether,  and  then  work  at  the 
next  one,  and  the  next,  until  we  had  pierced  right  through 
to  the  open  air. 

Apart  from  the  toilsomeness  of  the  task,  th'ere  were 
risks  to  be  feared  and  provided  against.  First,  one  or 


THE   BASS   VIOL  159 

another  of  the  soldiers  inspected  our  dormitory  every  day. 
This  inspection,  'tis  true,  had  become  somewhat  perfunc- 
tory, the  man  being  content,  as  a  rule,  to  mount  the  lad- 
der until  his  head  was  a  foot  or  two  above  the  level  of 
the  floor,  throw  a  hasty  glance  around,  and  descend 
again.  The  second  risk  was  more  serious.  Since  we 
could  hear  at  night  the  tramp  of  the  sentry  going  his 
round  of  the  battlements,  it  was  probable  that,  however 
quietly-  we  might  work,  the  sentry  would  hear  the  sound 
of  scraping  as  he  passed  above.  If  the  wall  had  been 
wainscotted,  he  might  suppose  such  sounds  to  be  caused 
by  the  gnawing  of  mice ;  but  there  was  no  likelihood  of 
mice  making  their  habitat  in  a  thick  stone  wall.  Further, 
even  if  we  should  so  contrive  that  our  task  of  scraping 
was  interrupted  when  the  sentry  passed,  there  was  still 
the  danger  that  the  sound  might  attract  the  attention  of 
the  men  in  the  adjoining  dormitory.  If  they  should  get 
any  suspicion  of  what  was  toward,  it  would  soon  be  com- 
mon talk  among  the  whole  body  of  prisoners,  and  some 
whisper  of  it  would  certainly  reach  the  ears  of  the  guard. 
In  order  to  lessen  this  risk,  Joe  and  I  decided  to  begin 
our  work  at  a  stone  measuring  three  feet  by  two,  in  the 
right-hand  corner  of  the  dormitory,  farthest  removed 
from  the  partition  dividing  us  from  the  next,  and  a  foot 
or  two  above  the  floor,  so  that  a  bed  could  be  pushed 
against  the  wall  and  hide  all  signs  of  our  operations  in 
case  a  sudden  visit  of  inspection  was  made. 

These  preliminaries  having  been  settled  by  Joe  and 
myself,  the  time  was  come  for  taking  our  room-mates 
into  our  confidence.  I  did  not  disguise  from  myself  that 
we  were  staking  a  great  deal  on  their  loyalty,  and  even 
more  on  their  silence,  for  the  slightest  whisper  of  the 
plot  outside  our  own  little  company  would  be  fatal.  There 
were  ten  of  us  bandsmen  altogether.  At  first  I  thought  of 


160  HUMPHREY,  BOLEj 

speaking  to  the  men  individually,  and  thus  testing  their 
courage  and  enterprise.  But  on  reflection  I  decided  that 
what  was  most  requisite  to  our  success  was  a  corporate 
spirit,  which  could  be  best  engendered  by  opening  the 
matter  to  them  as  a  body.  Accordingly,  one  evening, 
when  we  were  assembled  in  the  dormitory  for  a  practice, 
I  took  the  fateful  plunge. 

I  am  not  an  orator,  and  I  shall  not  set  down  here  the 
words  in  which  I  addressed  them.  Suffice  it  to  say  that 
they  listened  very  attentively,  not  at  first  perceiving  the 
full  drift  of  my  meaning,  so  careful  was  I  to  feel  my  way 
with  them.  They  held  me  in  some  special  consideration, 
which  I  no  doubt  owed  partly  to  Joe  Punchard,  who  had 
told  them  something  of  my  story,  and  when  at  length  I 
declared  plainly  our  intention  to  escape,  asked  them  if 
they  would  join  hands  with  us,  and  impressed  on  them 
the  necessity  of  maintaining  silence  about  it,  they  one 
and  all  promised  that  never  a  word  should  pass  their 
lips.  As  to  the  scheme  itself,  when  I  unfolded  its  details, 
they  were  somewhat  dubious,  and,  strangely  enough,  the 
most  enthusiastic  in  its  favor  was  little  Runnles,  the 
melancholy  flute  player,  and  the  most  doubtful  was  the 
bosun,  whose  physical  courage  was  equal  to  anything, 
but  who  was  daunted  by  what  appealed  more  particularly 
to  the  moral  qualities  of  patience  and  endurance.  He 
dwelt  lugubriously  on  the  difficulties  I  have  already  men- 
tioned, and  shook  his  head  when  I  combated  his  objec- 
tions ;  but  he  agreed  to  throw  in  his  lot  with  the  rest  of 
us,  and  said  that  if  we  once  got  clear  of  the  walls,  and 
there  was  any  fighting  to  do,  he  would  break  any  French- 
man's head  as  soon  as  look  at  him. 

Nothing  remained  now  but  to  begin  operations,  and  I 
soon  found  that  the  demands  upon  our  patience  would  be 
even  more  exacting  than  I  had  supposed.  We  divided 


THE   BASS   VIOL  161 

our  company  of  ten  into  five  watches,  each  to  take  a  spell 
of  two  hours'  work.  One  night,  as  soon  as  all  was  quiet, 
Joe  and  I  set  to  work,  he  with  a  chisel  which  he  had  used 
in  making  our  new  instrument,  I  with  my  clasp-knife. 
Very  gently,  so  as  to  avoid  noise,  we  began  to  scrape 
away  at  the  mortar  between  the  block  of  stone  we  had 
selected  for  removal  and  the  one  below  it.  Runnles  hit 
upon  a  capital  way  of  warning  us  of  the  approach  of  the 
sentry  within  earshot.  He  tied  a  string  to  Joe's  leg,  and 
gave  it  a  tug  when  he  heard  the  tramp  of  footsteps  above. 
Then  we  desisted  for  a  minute  or  two,  resuming  our 
work  when  the  footsteps  had  died  away.  At  the  end  of 
our  two  hours'  spell  we  were  disappointed  at  the  little 
we  had  been  able  to  do.  Two  small  heaps  of  dust  lay  at 
the  foot  of  the  wall,  but  the  impression  on  the  hard  mor- 
tar or  cement  had  been  but  slight,  and  I  was  appalled  to 
think  of  the  weeks  that  must  elapse  before  we  had  cut 
completely  round  the  stone.  But  I  professed  myself  well 
satisfied  with  the  start  we  had  made,  and  we  handed  over 
our  tools  to  Dilly  and  Tolliday,  the  next  couple,  with  en- 
couraging words. 


CHAPTER  XVI 

ACROSS  THE  MOAT 

It  would  be  tedious  to  chronicle  the  stages  of  our  prog- 
ress, the  hopes  and  fears,  the  anxieties  and  suspense, 
which  in  turn  laid  hold  of  me.  Night  by  night  for  a 
week,  in  pitch  darkness  and  bitter  cold,  we  scraped  away 
the  cement,  carrying  away  in  the  morning  in  our  pockets 
the  dust  that  fell,  and  disposing  of  it  in  the  sweepings  of 
the  courtyard.  Once  we  had  a  great  scare.  In  the  dead 
time  of  night  we  heard  footsteps,  and  voices  in  the  room 
below  our  dormitory,  and  gave  all  up  for  lost.  We  stole 
into  our  beds,  and  lay  in  that  painful  state  of  shortened 
breath  and  quickened  pulse  which  the  expectation  of  ill 
induces.  But  by  and  by  the  voices  ceased ;  we  heard  the 
closing  of  the  door  below ;  whatever  their  errand  had 
been  (and  we  never  knew  it)  the  men  of  the  guard  had 
returned  to  their  quarters,  and  after  a  few  minutes'  pause 
we  were  again  out  of  bed  and  at  our  work. 

At  the  end  of  a  week  it  happened  as  I  had  feared.  The 
men's  patience  gave  out.  The  bosun  was  the  first  to 
yield.  After  his  two  hours'  spell  of  labor  he  rose  from 
the  cramped  position  it  entailed  and  swore  he  would  do 
no  more.  The  men  whose  turn  it  was  to  follow  refused 
to  get  out  of  bed,  and  Joe  and  I,  who,  having  worked  our 
spell  were  fast  asleep,  knew  nothing  of  the  mutiny  until 
the  morning.  Then,  though  I  was  nigh  despairing,  I  af- 
fected cheerfulness,  said  that  we  had  all  been  working 
too  hard,  and  declared  for  a  couple  of  nights'  holidays 

162 


ACROSS    THE    MOAT  163 

I  did  not  blame  or  expostulate,  and  the  wisdom  of  my 
course  was  vindicated  on  the  third  night,  when,  without 
a  word  being  said,  the  bosun  and  Runnles  took  up  their 
tools  and  set  to  work  again.  I  learned  afterwards  that 
Runnles  had  employed  himself  during  the  two  days  in 
quietly  encouraging  the  others,  and  I  think  it  was  the 
persistence  of  the  little  man  that  shamed  them  into  per- 
severance. 

Night  by  night  for  three  weeks  we  toiled  on,  and  then 
were  bountifully  rewarded.  We  had  scraped  away  the  ce- 
ment between  the  stone  we  had  selected  and  those  around 
it,  and  by  prying  it  with  our  chisel  and  one  or  two  other 
tools  we  had  now  procured,  we  gradually  forced  it  in- 
wards and  at  length  lifted  it  out  and  laid  it  on  the  floor.  It 
was  the  middle  of  the  night,  but  all  the  men  were  awake, 
and  in  the  excitement  of  the  occasion  the  bosun  uttered 
a  shout  of  triumph,  cursing  himself  immediately  after- 
wards for  his  folly.  The  sentry  above  stopped,  and  by 
and  by  a  soldier  came  into  the  room  below  and  up  the 
ladder  and  demanded  what  was  the  matter.  Luckily  I 
had  the  presence  of  mind  (and  by  this  time  sufficiency  of 
French)  to  make  answer  pat. 

"  'Tis  the  big  man  in  a  nightmare,"  I  said  with  a  laugh, 
"dreaming  he  heads  a  boarding  party." 

"Mad  dream!"  says  the  Frenchman  with  a  chuckle, 
and  went  down  again  without  entering  the  room. 

We  longed  for  daylight  to  reveal  the  full  extent  of  our 
success,  yet  dared  not  wait  for  it,  for  the  stone  was  heavy, 
and  it  would  take  some  time  to  replace  it,  and  since  we 
were  always  visited  soon  after  daybreak  we  feared  to  be 
intruded  on  before  we  had  put  it  back  and  removed  the 
traces  of  our  work.  So  we  set  it  again  in  its  place  and 
for  the  rest  of  the  night  slept  the  sound  sleep  of  con- 
tentment. 


But  this  success  spurred  me  on  to  devise  some  means 
of  easing  the  work  yet  to  be  done.  The  stone  was  two 
feet  broad ;  if  the  wall  was  ten  feet  thick  there  were  four 
more  like  it  still  to  be  removed,  and  at  the  same  rate  it 
would  be  three  months  before  we  could  tunnel  through 
to  the  air.  And  thinking  of  this  my  heart  fell,  for  there 
was  not  room  in  the  cavity  left  by  the  stone  for  two  men  to 
work  abreast,  so  that  it  might  indeed  be  four  months  be- 
fore we  saw  the  end  of  our  toil.  I  determined,  therefore, 
by  some  means  or  other  to  procure  a  light,  by  whose  aid 
I  could  explore  the  hole  and  see  if  the  next  stone  was 
cemented  with  the  same  care. 

It  chanced  that  that  day  we  had  for  dinner  a  very  fat 
piece  of  beef.  I  took  advantage  of  this  to  pocket  some 
lumps  of  fat,  intending  to  make  a  candle  with  it  and  a 
wick  composed  of  some  twisted  threads  from  my  shirt. 
The  difficulty  was  to  kindle  the  candle  when  made,  for 
none  of  us  had  a  tinder-box,  though  we  had  steel  in  our 
chisel  and  could  easily  break  a  piece  of  stone  from  the 
slab  we  had  loosened.  Tolliday  was  equal  to  this  how- 
ever. He  pretended  that  one  of  the  screws  of  his  fiddle 
had  swelled,  so  that  it  would  not  turn  freely  in  the  hole, 
and  he  got  us  to  ask  one  of  the  soldiers  to  lend  him  his 
tinder-box,  so  that  he  might  make  a  fire  of  shavings  and 
heat  a  skewer  red-hot,  with  which  to  burn  away  the  hole. 
All  unsuspicious,  the  man  lent  him  the  box,  which,  when 
it  was  returned  to  him  had  somewhat  less  tinder  in  it 
than  before. 

That  night,  and  during  the  remaining  weeks  of  our 
work,  we  had  a  candle.  We  screened  the  light  very  care- 
fully, you  may  be  sure,  so  that  it  should  not  shine 
through  the  grating  in  the  wall  on  the  courtyard,  and 
attract  the  soldiers'  notice.  The  stone  having  been  re- 
moved, I  crawled  into  the  opening,  holding  the  candle, 


ACROSS   THE   MOAT  165 

and  could  scarcely  check  a  cry  of  joy  as  I  perceived  that 
our  task  would  henceforth  be  much  lighter  than  I  had 
supposed.  At  the  end  of  the  hole,  instead  of  another 
stone  cemented  like  the  first,  as  I  expected,  there  was 
a  mass  of  rubble.  I  could  not  doubt  that  the  whole  of 
the  interior  of  the  wall  consisted  of  this  material,  and 
that  we  should  encounter  no  more  blocks  of  stone  until 
we  came  to  the  outer  layer  of  the  wall.  It  was  easy  to 
understand  now  why  castles  deemed  impregnable  were 
sometimes  battered  down.  A  thickness  of  ten  feet  of 
stone  might  withstand  any  bombardment,  but  once  the 
outer  stones  were  pierced,  the  lighter  material  would 
offer  but  little  resistance  to  cannon  shot. 

That  was  an  afterthought,  however;  my  reflection  at 
the  moment  was  that  liberty  was  nearer  to  us  by  several 
weeks.  Being  acquainted  with  my  discovery,  my  com- 
rades made  no  ado  when  I  suggested  that  we  should  now 
remove  another  of  the  stones  of  the  inner  wall,  so  that 
we  might  more  easily*  get  at  the  rubble.  Filled  with  a 
new  spirit  of  cheerfulness,  they  worked  with  such  ardor 
that  in  ten  nights  we  were  able  to  lay  a  second  stone 
alongside  of  the  first. 

But  we  were  now  confronted  with  a  new  difficulty.  It 
had  been  easy  enough  to  dispose  of  the  cement  dust:  it 
was  quite  another  thing  to  get  rid  of  the  vast  quantity 
of  small  stones  and  pieces  of  brick  which  now  had  to' 
be  removed.  Further,  if  we  cleared  all  the  rubble  from 
the  middle  of  the  wall  between  us  and  the  outside,  there 
would  be  no  support  for  the  slabs  of  the  battlement  above, 
and  however  firmly  they  were  cemented,  it  was  not  im- 
probable that  they  would  sink  in  and  betray  us. 

The  latter  predicament  we  could  but  ignore  for  the 
present.  For  the  disposal  of  the  rubble,  after  some 
thought  I  hit  upon  a  plan  that  proved  entirely  successful. 


i66  HUMPHREY   BOLD 

When  all  was  quiet  one  night,  Joe  and  I  descended  the 
ladder  which  led  from  our  dormitory  to  the  room  below, 
and  lifted,  after  some  trouble,  one  of  the  planks  of  the 
floor.  As  I  had  hoped,  it  was  not  laid  immediately  on 
the  ground ;  a  space  of  two  feet  deep  had  been  left.  Into 
this  hole  night  by  night  we  cast  the  rubble  we  scooped 
out  from  the  wall,  carefully  replacing  the  plank  when 
we  had  done.  We  moved  always  with  bare  feet,  carry- 
ing the  stuff  in  our  pillow  cases.  When  I  consider  how 
many  slight  accidents  might  have  marred  our  work  and 
utterly  undone  us,  I  can  not  but  think  that  we  were  in 
some  sort  watched  over  by  Providence.  Our  life  aboard 
ship  had  made  us  sure-footed ;  but  that  we  were  able  to 
work  for  weeks  without  betraying  ourselves  by  a  sound 
or  the  neglect  of  some  precaution  I  ascribe  to  something 
higher  than  ourselves. 

To  come  to  an  end  of  this  part  of  my  story,  after  sev- 
eral weeks'  work  at  the  rubble  we  once  more  encountered 
stone.  Before  attacking  this,  we  waited  for  a  night  or 
two.  We  no  longer  had  any  fear  of  the  slabs  of  the 
battlement  falling;  the  cement  was  clearly  strong  enough 
to  bear  the  weight  of  the  passing  sentry ;  but  I  had  some 
apprehension  that  as  he  tramped  along  the  man  might 
discover  the  hollowness  below  him  by  the  ringing  of  his 
feet  on  the  stones.  But  two  nights  sufficed  to  banish  this 
fear  also,  and  then  we  started  eagerly  on  the  last  portion 
of  our  task.  The  flight  of  time  passes  almost  unnoticed 
when  the  moments  are  well  filled.  Winter  had  given 
place  to  spring,  and  spring  was  now  merging  into  sum- 
mer. We  had  no  almanac,  and  kept  no  account  of  the 
days ;  it  was  by  the  lengthening  daylight  and  shortening 
darkness  and  the  new  warmth  in  the  air  that  we  knew 
summer  was  at  hand.  The  long  nights  of  winter  would 
perhaps  have  been  more  favorable  to  our  escape,  but, 


ACROSS   THE   MOAT  167 

on  the  other  hand,  we  should  suffer  more  from  exposure, 
and  moreover,  I  fancy  no  man  is  ever  so  brave  in  cold 
weather  as  in  warm.  We  prisoners,  at  any  rate,  worked 
now  with  more  zest  than  ever,  heartened  by  the  knowl- 
edge that  if  we  did  win  to  freedom,  we  should  find  our- 
selves in  a  pleasant,  sunny  world. 

One  night  when  Runnles  and  the  bosun  were  at  work, 
the  chisel  of  the  former  met  with  no  further  obstacle. 
Enlarging  the  hole  he  had  made,  he  set  his  eye  to  it,  and 
whispered  to  the  bosun  to  blow  out  the  candle.  Then 
he  crawled  back  into  the  room  and  told  me  in  his  quiet 
way  that  he  had  seen  the  stars.  Before  morning  the 
cement  round  a  stone  somewhat  larger  than  the  one  we 
first  removed  had  been  scraped  away,  or  pushed  out  into 
the  moat,  and  we  knew  that  when  we  had  hauled  the 
stone  back  through  the  tunnel  into  the  room  we  should 
have  made  a  hole  large  enough  for  the  biggest  of  us  to 
pass  through. 

My  fears  for  the  success  of  our  enterprise  were  never 
greater  than  at  this  moment  when  the  way  seemed  open. 
The  men  were  in  so  wild  a  state  of  excitement  that  I  was 
consumed  with  anxiety  lest  their  demeanor  should  arouse 
suspicion  among  our  guardians.  Before  I  went  down  to 
the  courtyard  I  spoke  to  them  very  earnestly,  begging 
them  to  keep  a  watch  on  themselves,  and  not  betray  by 
word,  look  or  sign  that  anything  had  happened  to  break 
the  monotony  of  our  life.  They  obeyed  my  injunctions 
almost  too  well,  for  a  more  silent,  morose,  hang-dog  set 
of  fellows  could  never  have  been  seen;  they  provoked 
jests  from  the  prisoners  of  the  other  dormitories,  who  de- 
clared that  sure  their  music  had  made  them  all  melan- 
choly. 

"It  must  be  to-night,  Joe,"  I  said,  when,  our  morning 
tasks  being  done,  he  and  I  went  apart  from  the  rest  for 


168  HUMPHREY   BOLD 

&  little  private  talk.  "If  we  delay  it,  I  can  not  answer  for 
their  behavior." 

"That  is  all  very  true,  sir,"  said  Joe;  "but  I  can  not 
see  how  we  are  to  manage  it.  There's  a  hole  in  the  wall, 
to  be  sure,  and  a  new  rope  on  the  windlass  of  the  well : 
but  how  we  be  going  to  get  the  rope  where  'tis  needed  is 
jmore  than  I  can  guess." 

"Don't  you  think  that  by  to-night  our  drum  will  want 
washing?"  I  said. 

He  looked  at  me,  clearly  puzzled  at  what  seemed  a  sud- 
den change  of  subject. 

"  'Tis  very  dirty,  to  be  sure ;  but  washing  it  won't 
make  it  sound  no  better,  I  reckon." 

"I  rather  think  it  will,"  I  replied,  and  then  I  told  him 
what  I  had  in  mind. 

"  'Tis  a  main  risky  trick,  sir,"  he  said  dubiously.  "If 
they  should  happen  to  want  another  bucketful  of  water 
we're  lost  men." 

"We  must  risk  something,  Joe,"  I  answered,  "and  for- 
tune has  so  well  befriended  us  hitherto  that  I  can't  think 
she  will  balk  us  now." 

But  I  own  that  my  anxieties  increased  as  the  day  wore 
on,  and  my  melancholy  countenance  was  doubtless  a  good 
match  with  the  faces  of  my  comrades.  When  one  of  the 
other  prisoners  twitted  me  on  my  lugubrious  mien,  I  had 
an  inspiration. 

"We  are  saving  our  cheerfulness  for  the  concert  to- 
night," I  said.  "  'Twill  be  the  best  we  have  ever  given, 
and  we  shall  never  give  a  better." 

And  for  the  rest  of  the  day  there  was  a  great  buzz  of 
talk  among  the  men  about  the  announcement  I  had  made, 
and  a  great  deal  of  laughter  at  our  mournful  preparation 
for  a  cheerful  entertainment. 

Late  in  the  afternoon,  when  water-drawing  had  ended 


ACROSS   THE   MOAT  169 

for  the  day,  I  went  to  one  of  the  soldiers  and  asked  if  I 
might  be  allowed  to  wash  our  big  drum. 

"Why,  'twill  spoil  it,"  he  cried.  "You'll  get  no  sound 
out  of  a  wet  skin." 

"I  shall  only  wash  one  side,"  I  replied,  "and  it  will  give 
a  thicker  sound  than  the  dry  one,  and  so  add  to  the  variety 
of  the  piece  we  are  going  to  play." 

"Well,  wash  it  then,"  he  said,  and  went  off  grinning  to 
tell  his  comrades  of  this  latest  whimsy. 

I  fetched  the  drum  from  the  corner  of  the  room  where 
it  lay,  and  carried  it  to  the  well  within  the  keep.  The 
members  of  the  band  were  in  the  secret,  and  I  had  asked 
them  to  hold  the  attention  of  the  other  prisoners  while  I 
set  about  my  task.  The  well  was  situated  in  a  somewhat 
gloomy  corner,  and,  there  being  none  of  the  garrison  at 
hand,  I  was  able  to  accomplish  my  purpose  unobserved 
and  without  interference.  Having  drawn  up  a  bucketful 
of  water,  I  unhooked  the  bucket,  unwound  the  rope  until 
there  were  but  a  few  feet  still  left  upon  the  windlass,  then 
cut  it,  made  a  gash  in  the  side  of  the  drum,  and  coiled  the 
lower  and  longer  portion  of  the  rope  in  the  interior  of  the 
instrument.  Then  I  tied  the  bucket  to  what  remained  of 
the  rope,  and  lowered  it  into  the  well,  where  it  hung  only 
a  few  feet  from  the  surface,  but  quite  out  of  sight  in  the 
darkness.  This  done,  I  carried  the  drum  across  the  yard, 
turning  its  broken  side  away  from  the  soldiers,  who  stood 
smoking  against  the  wall,  and  who  laughed  when  they 
saw  the  water  dripping  from  the  instrument  upon  the  flag- 
stones. 

The  prisoners  were  all  grouped  in  a  ring  about  Joe 
Punchard,  who  was  amusing  them  with  a  strange  dance 
of  his  own  invention.  He  bent  his  knees  till  he  was 
almost  sitting  on  the  ground,  and  in  that  position  danced 
a  sort  of  hornpipe — a  feat  that  must  have  imposed  a  ter- 


170  HUMPHREY   BOLD 

rible  strain  upon  his  inwards,  but  which  he  seemed  to 
perform  with  consummate  ease.  The  men  were  so  intent 
upon  his  antics  that  I  passed  them  by  unnoticed,  and 
gained  the  lower  room  of  the  shed,  where  I  whipped  the 
rope  out  of  the  drum  and  ran  with  it  up  into  the  dormi- 
tory, hiding  it  under  one  of  the  beds.  I  was  down  again 
in  a  minute,  and  then,  tearing  the  membrane  jaggedly  to 
disguise  the  fact  that  it  had  been  cut,  I  went  out  into  the 
yard,  and  when  Joe  had  finished  announced  with  an  air  of 
vexation  that  I  had  unluckily  made  a  hole  in  the  drum. 
At  this  my  fellow  bandsmen  abused  me  with  a  fine  show 
of  anger,  the  bosun  in  particular  storming  at  me  with  a 
violence  at  which  I  had  much  ado  not  to  smile.  The  other 
men  laughed,  and  made  fun  of  our  mishap,  which  boded 
ill  for  the  success  of  our  concert.  But  when  we  had  eaten 
our  evening  meal,  we  got  our  instruments  and  played 
until  the  sun  went  down,  with  a  gusto  which  certainly 
we  had  never  shown  before.  For  the  nonce  I  gave  up  the 
castanets  to  the  bosun,  and  beat  the  drum  myself,  thump- 
ing it  on  its  sound  side  joyously.  The  soldiers  gathered 
round  and  gave  us  very  hearty  applause ;  and  when  Runn- 
les,  to  conclude  the  program,  played  them  on  his  flute 
the  air  of  Au  clair  de  lune,  which  he  had  picked  up  from 
one  of  them,  they  cheered  him  to  the  echo. 

I  hoped  that  there  was  nothing  ominous  in  the  choice 
of  this  old  song  to  end  our  concert.  Moonlight  would  be 
fatal  to  our  enterprise ;  and  I  was  quite  ignorant  whether 
the  moon  rose  early  or  late.  But  we  had  gone  so  far  that 
our  attempt  must  be  made  this  very  night,  for  with  the 
morning  the  cutting  of  the  rope  would  without  doubt  be 
discovered;  the  alarm  would  be  given,  and  the  ensuing 
search  would  bring  to  light  not  merely  the  severed  rope, 
but  our  operations  upon  the  wall. 

We  went  up  into  our  dormitory,  taking  with  us  our 


ACROSS   THE   MOAT  171 

instruments  as  usual,  among  them  the  bass  viol  of  bur  in- 
vention. This  was  to  serve  as  our  raft.  We  waited  for 
several  hours  with  feelings  painfully  tense.  None  of  us 
was  inclined  to  talk ;  my  nine  comrades  were,  I  doubt  not, 
wondering  as  anxiously  as  I  myself  what  the  issue  of  our 
attempt  would  be.  When  all  was  quiet,  the  strongest  of 
them  removed  the  stone  at  the  inner  end  of  the  tunnel, 
and  set  it  down  with  many  precautions  on  the  floor.  Then 
Runnles,  being  a  little  man,  crawled  to  the  other  end  and 
looped  the  rope  about  the  loosened  stone  there.  This  we 
hauled  inwards  an  inch  at  a  time,  stopping  after  every 
pull  to  listen.  It  seemed  endless  work  to  drag  it  into  the 
room,  but  at  last  it  was  done,  and  we  set  the  stone  along- 
side the  other. 

Our  way  was  now  clear.  I  had  insisted  on  being  the 
first  to  descend,  though  Joe  Punchard  and  two  other  men 
volunteered  for  that  office,  pleading  that  they  were  mar- 
iners of  longer  standing  than  I,  and  therefore  fitter  for  the 
climbing  work.  But  this  I  would  by  no  means  agree  to, — 
the  suggestion  and  the  plan  being  mine,  it  was  meet  that  I 
should  be  the  first  to  face  what  perils  it  might  involve. 
Accordingly,  I  first  crawled  through  the  tunnel  to  see 
whether  the  aspect  of  the  sky  favored  an  immediate  de- 
scent, and,  being  reassured  on  that  point,  I  went  back  into 
the  room  to  make  the  final  preparations. 

We  stripped  a  plank  from  one  of  the  truckle-beds  and 
placed  it  across  the  opening,  one  end  of  the  rope  being 
knotted  about  its  middle;  the  knots  were  firm,  you  may 
be  sure,  as  none  but  sailors  can  make  them.  Then,  taking 
the  other  end  of  the  rope,  I  went  to  the  outward  end  and 
lowered  it  very  gently  towards  the  moat,  knowing  that  it 
would  not  be  seen  in  the  darkness  by  the  sentry  on  the 
battlements  above  even  if  he  chanced  to  look  over,  and  to 
that  he  would  have  no  temptation.  There  was  a  good 


172  HUMPHREY   BOLD 

deal  of  doubt  among  us  as  to  whether  the  rope  was  long 
enough  for  our  purpose.  The  bosun,  who  had  crawled 
after  me,  whispered  he  was  sure  it  was  too  short.  And 
when  I  had  let  it  down  to  its  full  length  and  drawn  it  up 
again,  as  yard  after  yard  it  came  dry  through  my  fingers 
I  began  to  fear  that  the  bosun  was  right.  But  at  last  the 
rope  left  a  slimy  wetness  upon  my  hands,  and  I  rejoiced 
to  find  that  two  or  three  yards  of  it  had  fallen  into  the 
water. 

Our  next  step  was  to  draw  the  rope  wholly  into  the 
dormitory  and  fasten  its  wet  end  to  the  bass  viol.  On  the 
top  of  this,  it  will  be  remembered,  there  were  two  S- 
shaped  openings  which  we  had  cut  to  make  it  serviceable 
as  a  sound-board.  These  Joe  had  now  covered  over  with 
the  broken  skin  of  the  drum,  to  make  the  box  water-tight. 
We  pushed  it  through  the  tunnel,  and  I  let  it  down  into 
the  moat,  very  slowly,  so  that  it  might  not  strike  the  wall 
and  draw  the  sentry's  attention.  When  the  rope  was 
paid  out  to  its  full  length  I  wrapped  a  coil  of  bast  about 
my  shoulders,  and,  having  suspended  from  my  neck  a 
short  plank  from  the  head  of  the  bed,  I  bade  the  men  in  a 
whisper  to  remember  the  further  plan  we  had  arranged, 
and  made  my  way  down  the  rope — a  feat  that  offered  no 
difficulty  to  a  seaman  even  so  little  practiced  as  I. 

Coming  safely  to  our  musical  raft,  I  was  not  long  in 
discovering  it  to  be  a  very  cranky  thing,  so  that  I  had  to 
keep  my  hold  of  the  rope  in  order  to  maintain  my  balance. 
But  in  a  short  time  I  was  able  to  defeat  the  raft's  attempts 
to  turn  turtle,  and  then,  kneeling  on  it,  still  gripping  the 
rope,  I  looked  anxiously  for  signs  that  the  attention  of  the 
sentry  on  the  battlements  had  been  awakened.  But  I 
heard  his  footsteps  approach  and  recede  at  the  same  meas- 


ACROSS   THE   MOAT  173 

ured  pace ;  'twas  clear  he  suspected  nothing ;  and  without 
more  delay  I  began  to  work  the  raft  towards  the  far  side 
of  the  moat,  using  the  short  plank  I  had  brought  with 
me  as  a  paddle.  So  that  no  sound  of  splashing  might 
rise  to  betray  us,  at  every  stroke  I  dug  the  paddle  into  the 
mud,  which,  as  I  had  suspected,  came  to  within  a  little  of 
the  surface;  indeed,  the  depth  of  water  was  barely  suffi- 
cient to  float  the  raft,  with  my  weight  on  it.  A  most  un- 
savory odor  resulted  from  the  stirring  of  the  mud;  but 
a  greater  inconvenience  was  the  tendency  of  the  raft  to 
lurch.  Holding  on  to  the  rope  with  one  hand,  I  instinc- 
tively pulled  upon  it  to  maintain  my  equilibrium  when  I 
felt  myself  toppling,  with  the  result  that  the  raft  moved 
backward,  and  I  had  to  begin  my  punting  again.  For- 
tunately, the  width  of  the  moat  was  little  more  than  thrice 
the  length  of  my  crazy  craft,  in  spite  of  whose  instability 
I  succeeded  in  reaching  the  opposite  side. 

Here,  however,  I  found  that  my  difficulties  were  by  no 
means  over.  The  water  was  low  in  the  moat,  and  the 
bank,  perfectly  free  from  vegetation,  rose  almost  verti- 
cally to  a  height  of  six  or  eight  feet.  On  a  moonlit  night 
I  must  have  been  seen  if  the  sentry  had  glanced  in  my 
direction ;  dark  as  it  was,  I  feared  it  was  not  so  dark  but 
that  my  moving  shape  might  be  descried.  I  waited :  not 
hearing  the  sentry's  footsteps,  I  began  to  fear  the  worst ; 
but  finding  after  a  time  that  no  alarm  had  been  given,  and 
that  all  was  still  about  me,  I  first  fastened  the  coil  of  bast 
I  had  brought  on  my  shoulders  to  the  end  of  the  rope 
where  it  was  knotted  about  the  raft,  and  then  began  to 
clamber  up  the  bank,  somewhat  incommoded  by  having  to 
keep  a  hold  of  the  bast  with  one  hand.  Careful  as  I  was, 
I  yet  dislodged  one  or  two  clods  of  earth  as  I  climbed, 


174  HUMPHREY   BOLD 

which  fell  with  a  dull  splash  into  the  water.  I  went  cold 
with  apprehension,  and  clung  to  the  face  of  the  bank,  not 
daring  to  make  a  movement.  There  were  no  fowl  upon 
the  moat ;  the  splash  I  had  made  was  louder  than  any  frog 
could  have  made;  surely  the  unaccustomed  sound  must 
this  time  have  caught  the  sentry's  ear!  But  all  was 
silent ;  maybe  he  was  asleep ;  and  in  another  few  moments 
I  gained  the  top  of  the  bank,  breathless,  rather,  I  suspect, 
from  excitement  than  exertion. 

It  seemed  a  very  long  time  since  I  had  left  my  com- 
rades above :  doubtless  it  had  seemed  even  longer  to  them. 
So,  after  the  briefest  of  pauses  to  recover  my  breath,  I 
gave  three  sharp  tugs  upon  the  bast  line,  which  were  im- 
mediately answered  by  three  similar  tugs :  this  was  the 
signal  I  had  arranged  with  Joe.  The  tension  on  the  line 
was  relaxed;  Joe,  hauling  at  the  rope,  was  drawing  the 
raft  gently  back  across  the  moat  to  its  former  position  at 
the  foot  of  the  wall.  There  was  a  short  interval ;  then  I 
knew  from  the  jerking  of  the  bast  line  that  a  man  was  de- 
scending the  rope,  and  when  he  was  almost  level  with  me 
I  saw  his  form  very  dimly.  When  I  learned  from  the  ces- 
sation of  the  jerks  that  he  was  safe  on  the  raft,  I  hauled 
in  my  line,  ferried  the  man  across,  and,  leaning  over,  gave 
him  a  helping  hand  up  the  bank.  It  was  little  Runnles. 

"I've  got  my  flute,  sir,"  he  whispered  with  strange  in- 
consequence as  he  came  to  my  side. 

"Lie  on  the  ground  and  don't  stir,"  I  whispered  back. 

Again  I  gave  three  tugs,  and  the  same  sequence  of 
events  ensued.  One  by  one  the  men  came  down  the  rope, 
crossed  the  moat  on  the  raft,  and  joined  me  on  the  bank. 
We  had  no  difficulty  with  any  of  them  but  the  bosun, 
whose  massy  frame  so  much  depressed  the  raft  that  it 


ACROSS   THE   MOAT  175 

took  the  united  exertions  of  six  of  us  to  haul  it  through 
the  upper  layer  of  mud.  Joe  Punchard  came  last  of  all. 
When  with  his  arrival  our  little  party  of  ten  was  com- 
plete, we  crawled  on  hands  and  knees  one  by  one  to  the 
shelter  of  a  thicket  that  stood  some  fifty  yards  away,  and 
then  consulted  in  whispers  how  we  were  to  shape  our 
course. 


CHAPTER  XVII 

EXCHANGES 

I  have  been  many  a  time  surprised  to  observe  the 
strange  volatility  of  sailormen.  They  will  pass  in  an  in- 
stant from  jollity  to  woe,  and,  when  just  snatched  from 
the  jaws  of  death,  will  give  the  rein  to  jests  and  sportive- 
ness  as  if  life  were  nothing  but  a  perpetual  holiday.  Some 
of  my  comrades  were  perfectly  hilarious,  and  began  to 
talk  and  laugh  as  freely  as  they  might  in  the  forecastle, 
far  from  a  hostile  shore.  I  had  to  warn  them  very  ear- 
nestly against  so  imperiling  the  safety  of  us  all ;  but  Joe 
Punchard's  admonitions  were  more  effective  than  mine, 
for  in  a  harsh  whisper  he  roundly  abused  them,  threaten- 
ing with  many  offensive  terms  to  leave  them  to  their  fate 
if  they  did  not  instantly  cease  and  obey  me  as  their  captain. 

Their  intelligence  being  penetrated  with  some  notion  of 
the  exceeding  danger  of  our  situation,  the  noisy  ones  kept 
silence  and  agreed  to  follow  my  behests.  This  threw  on 
me  a  task  of  great  hazard  and  responsibility,  for  we  were 
strangers  in  a  strange  land,  and  I  had  no  knowledge  of 
our  whereabouts,  nor  a  clearly  defined  plan  of  action. 
Gathering  them  in  a  knot  about  me,  so  that  all  could  hear 
my  lowest  whisper,  I  put  to  them  the  situation  as  I  con- 
ceived it. 

"By  God's  mercy  we  have  succeeded  thus  far,"  I  said, 
"but  the  greatest  of  our  dangers  lie  still  before  us.  I 
know  nothing  of  this  country,  nor  does  any  of  us,  and  in 
a  few  hours  day  will  dawn,  our  escape  will  be  discovered, 

176 


EXCHANGES  177 

and  there  will  be  a  hue  and  cry  after  us  for  miles  around. 
What  we  want  to  do  is  to  make  the  coast  and  borrow  a 
boat  in  which  we  may  set  sail  for  England." 

"Ay,  ay,"  was  the  general  grunt. 

"Ay,  indeed,"  I  went  on,  "but  we  know  not  in  what 
direction  the  coast  lies,  nor  would  it  be  safe  for  us  to 
attempt  to  reach  it  yet.  When  our  absence  is  known,  the 
Frenchmen  will  assuredly  suspect  that  the  coast  will  be 
our  aim,  and  they  will  have  it  watched  for  miles,  so  that 
even  if  we  found  a  boat  and  got  to  sea  (in  which  we 
might  fail),  we  should  certainly  be  espied  and  chased  and 
caught.  What  we  must  do,  as  it  seems  to  me,  is  to  strike 
into  the  country  and  find  a  hiding-place  where  we  may  lie 
until  the  first  alarm  has  passed,  and  then  endeavor  by 
some  means  to  learn  of  a  secluded  fishing  hamlet  whither 
we  may  steal  our  way  by  night.  Can  you  suggest  a  better 
plan?" 

For  a  brief  space  there  was  silence ;  then  the  bosun  said : 

"If  we  can  not  tell  the  way  to  the  coast,  neither  can  we 
know  if  we  be  going  inland,  and  so  we  may  stumble  into 
the  very  danger  we  ought  to  avoid." 

"There  is  the  north  star  above  us,"  I  replied,  "and  by 
going  south  it  would  appear  that  we  shall  go  away  from 
the  sea.  I  propose,  then,  that  we  turn  our  backs  on  the 
star  and  march  southward,  trusting  to  find  some  wood  or 
perchance  some  ruin  where  we  may  lurk  a  day  or  two." 

"And  our  bellies  empty,"  groaned  Tolliday. 

"Let  us  hope  not,"  I  said.  "We  may  come  upon  some 
fruit  gardens  where  we  can  find  enough  to  keep  us  from 
starvation.  But  if  we  must  fast,  then  I  warrant  we,  being 
Englishmen,  can  endure  our  pangs  for  a  day.  Time  is 
passing;  'tis  gone  midnight,  if  I  guess  right,  and  since 
move  we  must,  I  speak  for  moving  at  once." 

No  other  course  suggesting  itself,  we  set  off,  and,  hav- 


178  HUMPHREY   BOLD 

ing  the  good  luck  to  strike  a  road,  we  marched  along  in 
dogged  silence  for  what  must  have  been  a  couple  of  hours. 
We  passed  but  one  house,  and  that  was  in  total  darkness, 
and  if  any  person  in  it  had  been  awake,  our  passage  would 
not  have  been  heard,  for  we  were  all  barefooted  but  three, 
myself  and  two  others. 

After  pausing  a  while  to  rest,  we  set  off  again,  and 
tramped  on  until  there  was  a  hint  of  daybreak  in  the  sky. 
Then,  being  utterly  weary  (for  none  of  us  had  enjoyed  a 
full  night's  sleep  for  months),  we  looked  about  for  some 
spot  where  we  might  rest  without  danger.  We  found 
ourselves  between  open  fields,  somewhat  cut  up  by  low 
stone  dykes,  but  with  no  buildings  or  copses  that  offered 
even  a  temporary  shelter.  We  had  perforce  to  continue 
on  our  way,  and  about  half  a  mile  farther  on  our  eyes 
were  gladdened  by  the  sight  of  a  large,  low,  dismantled 
farm-house  lying  somewhat  back  from  the  road.  It  ap- 
peared at  first  to  be  a  total  ruin,  and  bore  the  marks  of 
fire  upon  its  blackened  walls :  but  on  entering  we  discov- 
ered one  room  that  had  some  portion  of  a  roof  over  it, 
and,  better  still,  a  quantity  of  straw  spread  about  the  floor. 
We  were  gathering  this  up  to  make  rough  beds  of  it, 
when  we  perceived  a  trap  door  in  the  floor,  and  it  oc- 
curred to  me  that  if  it  led  down  to  a  dry  cellar,  such  as 
were  not  uncommon  in  farm-houses  in  England,  this 
would  prove  a  more  secure  refuge  than  the  room  on  a 
level  with  the  road.  Lifting  the  trap  door,  I  found  that  it 
was  even  as  I  hoped.  The  cellar  beneath  was  large,  and 
dimly  illuminated  through  a  grating  let  into  the  wall  just 
above  the  level  of  the  ground.  I  perceived,  too,  that  it 
had  a  door,  so  that  in  the  unlikely  event  of  our  reentrance 
by  the  trap  door  being  prevented,  we  could  still  escape 
into  the  open.  There  was  straw  also  in  the  cellar,  and  it 
did  not  take  us  many  seconds  to  decide  that  here  we 


EXCHANGES  179 

would  lay  down  our  tired  bodies  and  gain  some  sleep.  My 
purpose  was,  after  resting,  to  go  exploring  alone,  trusting 
to  my  knowledge  of  the  French  tongue  to  procure  some 
food  and  also  to  learn  something  of  the  lie  of  the  land,  for 
there  must  assuredly  be  a  habitation  somewhere  in  the 
neighborhood. 

We  all  descended  into  the  cellar,  closing  the  trap  door 
after  us,  and  gladly  stretched  our  limbs  upon  the  straw. 
It  did  not  appear  necessary  to  keep  a  watch.  The  farm 
had  clearly  not  been  inhabited  for  many  years,  and  there 
was  no  reason  to  fear  that  our  rest  would  be  disturbed. 
Even  when  the  pursuit  of  us  should  be  begun,  it  was  in 
the  highest  degree  unlikely  that  it  would  tend  in  this  di- 
rection. The  road  was  hard  after  a  period  of  dry  weather, 
and  we  had  left  no  foot  tracks  to  betray  us.  But  as  a 
precaution  I  went  out  by  the  cellar  door,  ascended  a  short 
flight  of  steps  and  made  my  way  to  the  upper  room  again, 
where  I  spread  some  straw  on  the  trap  door,  to  hide  it 
from  any  chance  visitor.  Then  I  returned  to  the  cellar. 
Our  fatigue  was  so  great  that  in  a  few  moments  we  were 
all  asleep. 

I  was  awakened  by  a  touch  on  my  arm.  I  sat  bolt  up- 
right in  an  instant.  Runnles  was  leaning  over  me,  with 
his  finger  at  his  lips.  The  other  men  were  already  awake, 
and  seeing,  I  suppose,  a  look  of  inquiry  on  my  face, 
Runnles  whispered : 

"I  wakened  them  first,  'cos  they  was  snoring." 

And  then  I  became  aware  that  it  was  precisely  the  un- 
expected that  had  happened.  There  were  people  in  the 
room  above.  I  heard  footsteps  and  voices,  and  then  felt 
no  little  alarm  when  another  sound  reached  my  ears — a 
sound  that  I  could  not  mistake.  It  was  the  sound  of 
muskets  being  stacked. 

We  looked  at  one  another  in  mute  dismay.    Had  our 


i8o  HUMPHREY   BOLD 

pursuers  hit  upon  our  tracks  at  once  ?  It  seemed  scarcely 
credible.  Yet  for  a  minute  or  two  I  waited  in  a  kind  of 
paralysis,  expecting  the  trap  door  to  open  and  a  posse  of 
armed  soldiers  to  descend.  My  anxiety  on  this  score  soon 
vanished,  however,  for  I  heard  a  heavy  thump  on  the  trap 
door  above,  and  guessed  that  either  something  had  been 
thrown  upon  it  or  that  one  of  the  intruders  had  unwit- 
tingly chosen  it  for  his  seat.  This,  with  the  previous 
stacking  of  the  arms,  seeming  to  indicate  that  the  visitors 
intended  to  make  some  stay,  and  had  no  suspicion  of  our 
presence,  I  determined  to  set  my  fears  finally  at  rest  (and, 
I  must  own,  also  to  satisfy  my  curiosity)  by  stealing  out 
and  taking  a  peep  at  them,  if  they  had  left  the  door  open. 
Whispering  my  comrades  to  remain  perfectly  silent,  I 
slipped  off  my  boots,  quickly  opened  the  door,  and  went 
very  cautiously  round  to  the  front  part  of  the  house. 

The  first  object  that  caught  my  eyes  was  a  horse  stand- 
ing tethered  in  what  had  been  the  ruins  of  a  barn  adjoin- 
ing the  farm-house.  Creeping  up  to  the  door,  which  had 
been  left  ajar,  I  peeped  in,  and  saw  a  party  of  French 
soldiers  seated  on  the  floor,  eating  bread  and  sausages, 
and  drinking  from  little  tin  cans.  My  mouth  watered  at 
the  sight  of  this  food  after  more  than  twelve  hours  of 
fasting,  but  I  was  not  conscious  of  this  till  afterwards. 
The  party  consisted  of  seven  men.  One,  somewhat  apart 
from  the  rest  (it  was  he  who  had  sat  himself  on  the  trap 
door),  was  clearly  an  officer.  He  was  a  tall,  lean  man  of 
some  forty  years;  he  had  unbuttoned  his  coat  and  laid 
his  hat,  in  which  there  was  a  white  cockade,  beside  him. 
At  a  respectful  distance  from  him  sat  the  others  of  the 
party. 

For  some  time  they  ate  their  meal  in  silence,  the  men, 
I  suppose,  not  daring  to  converse  in  the  presence  of  their 
captain.  But  by  and  by  the  officer,  his  hunger  being  some- 


EXCHANGES  181 

what  appeased,  unbent  a  little  from  his  dignity  and  ad- 
dressed a  stout  little  sergeant  among  the  party. 

"It  is  twelve  years  since  I  was  here  before,  Jules,"  he 
said,  and  there  was  a  noticeable  air  of  condescension  in 
his  tone ;  it  was  as  though  he  did  the  sergeant  a  mighty 
favor  in  speaking  at  all. 

"Yes,  monsieur,"  said  the  sergeant,  as  if  humbly  invit- 
ing him  to  continue. 

"Yes,  twelve  years  ago,"  the  officer  repeated.  "I  have 
reason,  truly,  to  know  it  again.  Those  were  the  days  of 
the  Conversions,  Jules.  You  don't  know  what  the  Con- 
versions were?  I  will  tell  you.  There  were  cursed 
Huguenots  in  the  country  then,  Jules,  bad  citizens,  unruly 
rascals  every  one  of  them,  and  our  good  king  commanded 
that  they  should  instantly  return  to  the  true  faith.  Some 
of  them  were  obstinate,  and  they,  see  you,  had  to  be  con- 
verted. We  called  it  conversion  by  lodgings,  and,  my 
faith,  it  was  excellent  sport.  They  quartered  some  of  us 
on  any  household  that  was  unwilling  to  obey  the  king, 
and  there  we  remained  until  they  saw  the  error  of  their 
ways.  My  faith !  some  were  hard  to  convert.  The  owner 
of  this  place,  for  instance.  We  were  here  for  a  month, 
and  never  lived  better  in  our  lives.  The  fool !  He  had  a 
pretty  daughter,  too,  and  I  fell  in  love  with  her.  The 
farmer  objected,  and  one  day  had  the  insolence  to  strike 
me.  That  was  treason,  of  course,  and  the  least  we  could 
do,  especially  as  he  was  so  obstinate  in  the  matter  of  his 
conversion,  was  to  burn  his  farm.  He  shot  one  of  my 
men  while  we  were  at  the  work,  and — well,  we  hanged 
him.  That  was  twelve  years  ago." 

The  sergeant  laughed.  I,  who  had  heard  something 
from  my  father  of  King  Lewis'  treatment  of  his  Hugue- 
not subjects — of  the  Dragonnade,  as  it  was  called,  and  the 
sufferings  of  the  poor  people  at  the  hands  of  the  brutal 


182  HUMPHREY   BOLD' 

soldiery — I,  who  knew  of  this,  was  shocked  at  the  callous 
levity  of  the  captain's  speech ;  and  I  could  have  struck  the 
fat,  foolish  face  of  the  sergeant  for  his  chuckle. 

"What  fools  men  are !"  the  captain  went  on.  "Who 
would  have  supposed  that  these  rascals  of  deserters  would 
make  for  the  very  place  where  they  would  most  readily 
be  discovered !  But  all  these  peasants  are  simpletons.  If 
you,  now,  were  to  desert,  Jules,  you  would  not  return  to 
Meaux,  would  you  ?  You  are  a  townsman,  and  have  more 
sense.  But  these  peasants — bah !  cattle,  no  more." 

I  thought  the  sergeant's  laugh  at  this  rang  a  trifle 
hollow.  He  was  not  a  soft-hearted  man  in  appearance, 
but  perhaps  he  had  some  fellow-feeling  for  poor  men 
dragged  from  their  work  at  the  plough  to  serve  in  the 
army  of  the  Grand  Monarque.  His  next  words  surprised 
me,  for  I  had  not  understood  the  captain's  reference  to 
deserters. 

"Shall  we  give  them  something  to  eat,  mon  capitaine?" 
he  asked. 

"Decidedly  not,"  said  the  officer  with  an  oath.  "They 
have  led  us  a  pretty  dance,  and  what's  the  good  of  food  to 
men  about  to  be  shot !" 

"But  they  may  fall  from  exhaustion  before  we  reach 
Rennes,"  suggested  the  sergeant,  "and  that  may  cause 
delay.  They  have  had  nothing  for  near  twelve  hours, 
mon  capitaine,  and  marching  best  part  of  the  time." 

"Well,  give  them  a  crust,"  said  the  captain,  lazily 
throwing  himself  back  on  the  straw;  "but  it  is  waste,  sheer 
waste." 

The  sergeant  rose  and,  taking  some  scraps  of  food, 
crossed  the  room  and  disappeared  from  my  sight.  I  knew 
now  that  the  deserters  of  whom  they  had  spoken  were 
actually  in  the  place  with  them,  and  found  myself  pitying 
the  fate  of  men  who  had  had  the  ill  luck  to  fall  into  the 


EXCHANGES  183 

hands  of  so  coldly  brutal  an  officer  as  this  captain.  Then 
I  turned  about  with  a  start,  having  the  strange  feeling — 
for  I  heard  nothing — that  some  one  was  moving  behind 
me.  It  was  Runnles.  He  came  towards  me  stealthily, 
wearing  that  meek,  shy  look  of  his,  and  told  me  in  a 
whisper  that  Joe  Punchard  had  sent  him  to  see  what  had 
become  of  me.  At  the  sight  of  him  a  fantastic  notion 
buzzed  into  my  head.  I  caught  him  by  the  sleeve  and 
whispered  eagerly  in  his  ear,  his  eyes  becoming  two  round 
O's  with  excitement  as  he  listened.  He  stole  away  again, 
and  I  turned  once  more  to  my  business  of  eavesdropping. 

"They  eat  like  pigs,"  I  heard  the  captain  say  to  the 
sergeant,  who  had  returned  to  his  lair  on  the  straw. 
"These  peasants  never  lose  the  ill  manners  bred  in  them. 
And  those  English  dogs  who  have  escaped  from  prison — 
how  do  I  know  they  are  peasants,  too,  Jules  ?" 

"I  can  not  tell,  mon  capitaine,"  says  the  sergeant. 

"Why,  because  you  may  be  sure  they  have  done  a  fool- 
ish thing,  like  these  deserters  of  ours.  They  are  seamen ; 
depend  upon  it,  they  have  made  straight  for  the  coast, 
and  we  shall  soon  hear  that  they  have  been  taken."  I 
could  not  help  smiling  at  the  ingenuousness  of  the  cap- 
tain's reasoning.  "My  faith!"  he  went  on,  "I  wish  we 
were  going  from  Rennes  to  St.  Malo  instead  of  from  St. 
Malo  to  Rennes.  I  should  have  loved  to  join  in  the  hunt 
for  the  rascals,  and  I  doubt  not  you,  Jules,  would  be  glad 
enough  to  get  some  portion  of  the  reward  offered  for 
their  capture.  Ah,  well !  the  others  will  have  the  luck ; 
but  I  would  give  something  to  see  those  English  dogs 
when—" 

And  here  I  pushed  wide  the  door. 

"Am  I  permitted  to  enter,  messieurs  ?"  I  said  in  my  best 
French,  and  giving  the  captain  a  pleasant  smile.  Lying  at 
full  length  with  his  head  on  his  arms,  he  could  not  clearly 


184  HUMPHREY    BOLD 

see  me.  The  men  stared  at  me,  but  did  not  move  nor 
speak,  waiting  dutifully  for  their  officer.  He  raised  him- 
self on  his  elbow. 

"Who  are  you  ?"  he  asks,  looking  me  up  and  down  from 
my  bare  feet  to  my  unkempt  head. 

"I,  monsieur,"  said  I  steadily,  though  my  heart  was 
thumping  at  a  furious  rate — "I,  monsieur,  am  one  of  the 
English  dogs — at  your  service." 

This  announcement  was  sufficiently  startling  to  account 
for  the  temporary  paralysis  that  seemed  to  have  fallen  on 
the  party.  They  stared  at  me,  speechless.  During  that 
moment  I  had  thrown  a  rapid  glance  to  my  left.  The 
three  deserters  were  lying  against  the  wall ;  between  them 
and  me  were  the  stacked  muskets  of  the  soldiers.  While 
the  men  were  still  fixed  in  their  astonishment,  I  sprang 
three  paces  to  the  left,  caught  up  the  muskets  in  both 
arms,  and  dashed  towards  the  door.  That  released  them 
from  the  spell;  the  men  jumped  to  their  feet  and  rushed 
after  me.  What  happened  to  the  captain  I  learned  after- 
wards from  Joe.  He  suddenly  found  himself  heaved  up 
into  the  air:  four  brawny  arms  had  shoved  up  the  trap 
door  on  which  he  was  lying,  my  dash  for  the  door  having 
been  the  signal  I  had  communicated  to  them  through 
Runnles.  When  the  officer  came  sprawling  down  on  the 
straw  again,  some  feet  away  from  his  former  position,  he 
was  pounced  on  by  Joe  and  the  bosun,  who  made  short 
work  of  tying  him  up  with  his  own  sword  strap. 

Meanwhile  the  rest  of  my  comrades  had  run  out  of  the 
cellar  door,  and  joined  me  just  in  time  to  receive  the 
charge  of  the  six  Frenchmen  who  had  followed  me  from 
the  house.  Fortunately  for  us,  what  with  surprise  and 
haste,  the  Frenchmen  had  not  drawn  their  swords,  so  that 
the  fight  that  ensued  beneath  the  ruined  wall  of  the  farm 
was  waged  on  fairly  even  terms.  And  when  it  comes  to  a 


After  five  minutes  I  came  up  with  the  fugitive      Page  18o 


EXCHANGES  185 

contest  in  which  nature's1  weapons  are  employed,  I  never 
yet  met  combatants  to  match  sturdy  English  tars.  There 
were  six  Frenchmen,  and  my  comrades  (Joe  and  the 
bosun  being  busy  with  the  captain)  numbered  seven,  but 
of  these  Dilly  was  old  and  Runnles  was  small,  and,  com- 
ing up  in  the  rear  of  the  rest,  they  two  had  no  part  in  the 
fight.  Nor  had  I,  for  when  they  engaged  my  arms  were 
full  of  the  muskets ;  and  when  I  had  laid  these  on  the 
ground  I  saw  that  one  of  the  Frenchmen,  evidently  fore- 
seeing how  the  matter  must  end,  left  his  fellows  and  ran 
fleetly  towards  the  horse,  which  was  looking  with  serene 
indifference  at  the  scene.  I  sprinted  after  him;  he  had 
only  a  few  yards'  start,  and  knew  that  he  was  pursued, 
for  he  swerved  out  of  the  direction  in  which  he  was  run- 
ning, seeing,  no  doubt,  that  he  would  not  have  time  to 
untether  the  horse  before  I  was  upon  him.  He  turned 
aside,  leapt  a  low  dyke,  into  a  field,  and  picked  up  his 
heels  so  nimbly  that,  though  I  was  pretty  quick  of  foot,  I 
was  by  no  means  sure  of  my  power  to  overtake  him.  But 
he  had  left  me  the  horse.  Quickly  untethering  it,  I 
mounted,  and  set  off  after  the  runaway.  And  then  my 
practice  in  cross-country  riding  about  Shrewsbury  served 
me  well ;  I  did  not  hesitate  to.  set  the  beast  at  the  dykes 
that  divided  the  fields;  he  took  them  gamely,  and  after 
five  minutes  of  as  mad  a  steeplechase  as  I  ever  enjoyed 
I  came  up  with  the  fugitive.  He  sprang  aside,  drew  his 
sword,  and  seemed  to  be  for  showing  fight :  but  when  I 
wheeled  the  horse  and  threatened  to  ride  him  down  he 
saw  that  the  game  was  up,  and,  sullenly  surrendering  his 
sword,  marched  back  before  me  to  the  farm. 

Then  I  found  that  my  comrades  had  already  finished 
the  business.  They  had  hauled  the  Frenchmen  back  into 
the  room  where  their  captain  lay,  screeching  abuse  at  Joe 
and  the  bosun,  who  smiled  at  him  encouragingly.  The 


i86  HUMPHREY   BOLD 

Frenchmen's  faces  bore  marks  of  punishment ;  several  of 
them  had  signs  of  war  upon  their  sleeves,  which  they  had 
used  to  stanch  their  noses.  So  loudly  did  the  captain 
vituperate  me  that  I  had  to  ask  Joe  to  silence  him ;  it  was 
necessary  for  us  to  hold  a  council  of  war,  and  quiet  dis- 
course was  impossible  while  the  Frenchman  raved.  Joe 
chose  a  way  as  effective  as  it  was  simple.  He  caught  up 
a  handful  of  straw  and  stuffed  it  between  the  officer's 
teeth. 

And  now  some  of  the  circumstances  reminded  me  of 
the  similar  mischance  that  had  befallen  me  on  the  Bris- 
towe  road.  There  also  the  scene  had  passed  in  a  ruined 
building  strewn  witlj  straw.  And  the  recollection  of  the 
indignity  I  had  suffered  at  the  hands  of  Topper  and  his 
fellows,  coupled  with  the  sight  of  the  three  deserters 
lying  manacled  and  open-mouthed  against  the  wall,  gave 
me  an  idea  that  pleased  me  mightily.  I  had  once  changed 
clothes  against  my  will;  why  should  not  Monsieur  le 
Capitaine  learn  humility  in  the  same  way  ?  He  was  about 
my  height :  his  clothes  would  certainly  fit  me  better  than 
Job  the  poacher's  had  done;  and  whereas  my  former 
change  had  been  for  the  worse,  the  change  I  contemplated 
should  turn  out  very  much  for  the  better,  and  so  the 
whirligig  of  time  would  have  his  revenges. 

I  told  my  comrades  what  I  had  in  mind. 

"All  very  well  for  you,  sir,"  said  the  bosun  bluntly, 
"but  what  about  us  tars  ?" 

"Why,  some  of  you  can  slip  into  the  Frenchmen's 
clothes,"  I  replied.  "You  won't  get  a  fit,  I  fear,  bosun ; 
you  are  over-grown"  (I  smiled  as  the  words  others  had 
used  about  me  came  unbidden  to  my  lips)  ;  "but  the  ser- 
geant there  is  very  much  Joe  Punchard's  figure,  and  five 
of  you  can  make  shift,  I  daresay.  You  would  make  quite 


EXCHANGES  187 

a  pretty  squad  of  Frenchmen,  and  show  a  little  more 
brawn." 

"But  what's  the  good,  sir?"  objected  Tolliday.  "We 
can't  talk  a  word  of  the  lingo,  and  if  your  idea  be  to  march 
through  the  country  till  we  can  find  a  boat,  bless  my  but- 
tons if  we  can  do  it,  'cos  the  first  cuss  I  say  will  be  the 
ruin  of  us." 

"I  haven't  told  you  all  my  plan  yet,"  I  said.  "But  first 
I  must  speak  to  these  poor  fellows  here :  they  are  deserters 
and  were  on  the  way  to  Rennes  to  be  shot.  Take  'em  out- 
side, Joe." 

The  plan  I  had  in  mind  when  seizing  the  Frenchmen 
was  somewhat  hazy,  but  it  was  becoming  clearer  every 
moment,  and,  being  spiced  with  hazard,  it  appealed  to  all 
that  was  adventurous  in  my  nature. 

When  I  had  the  deserters  out  of  earshot  of  their  late 
guards,  I  asked  them  if  they  wished  to  regain  their  free- 
dom, knowing  well  what  their  answer  would  be. 

"Well,"  said  I,  "if  I  set  you  free  now  it  may  do  you  no 
good.  You  have  been  caught  once  and  may  be  caught 
again.  But  if  you  throw  in  your  lot  with  us  there  is  a 
chance  for  you.  We  are  English  prisoners  who  have 
escaped :  join  us,  and  we  will  try  to  take  you  to  England." 

They  demurred  to  this.  They  did  not  want  to  go  to 
England,  where  they  would  be  friendless  and  might 
starve.  They  would  rather  remain  in  their  own  country, 
among  their  own  kin. 

"But  there  is  a  France  oversea,"  I  said.  "From  Eng- 
land you  may  perhaps  sail  by  and  by  for  Quebec,  where 
you  would  be  among  your  own  countrymen,  and  run  little 
risk  of  being  recognized.  If  you  stay  here  you  will  sooner 
or  later  be  captured  again  and  shot.  A  flew  land  is  the 
place  for  you," 


i88  HUMPHREY   BOLD 

They  discussed  this  suggestion  among  themselves,  and 
at  length  agreed  to  make  the  attempt.  I  then  returned  to 
my  comrades,  and  explained  to  them  more  fully  my  de- 
sign. It  was  nothing  less  than  to  personate  the  French 
captain,  and  to  lead  my  party  across  country  just  as  he 
had  been  doing.  The  three  deserters  would  exchange 
their  peasant  rags  for  the  uniforms  of  three  of  the  French 
soldiers,  and  three  of  my  comrades  would  wear  the  uni- 
forms of  the  rest.  I  hoped  that  with  courage  and  address 
and  circumspection  we  might  contrive  to  keep  up  the  im- 
posture long  enough  to  accomplish  our  ends. 

My  comrades,  however,  looked  at  the  matter  in  a  differ- 
ent light. 

"  'Tis  all  very  fine,"  said  the  bosun  gloomily,  "but  what 
about  the  lingo,  sir?  We  may  dress  up  as  much  as  you 
like,  but  nohow  can  we  twist  our  tongues  to  the  jabber  of 
these  Frenchies,  and  I  could  no  more  march  a  score  of 
miles  without  using  my  clapper  than  I  could  steer  without 
a  rudder." 

"Then  you  will  have  to  be  wounded  in  the  jaw,"  I  said, 
"and  Joe  will  tie  it  up  so  that  you  can't  open  your  mouth. 
We  must  pretend  that  we  had  a  desperate  fight  before  we 
captured  the  deserters.  We  must  be  very  careful ;  I  don't 
make  light  of  the  difficulties  before  us,  but  we  shouldn't 
be  worth  the  name  of  English  tars  if  we  didn't  make  the 
best  use  of  this  opportunity  that  Providence  has  offered 
us." 

"But  what  about  the  rest  of  us?"  said  Tolliday.  "There 
bean't  enough  uniforms  to  go  round." 

"Why,"  I  said,  with  a  sudden  inspiration,  "you  shall  be 
just  what  you  are,  English  seamen  who  have  escaped 
prison.  I  shall  give  out  that  as  we  were  escorting  our 
deserters  we  discovered  you  skulking  in  a  barn,  and 
brought  you  along  with  us." 


EXCHANGES  189 

My  comrades  were  aghast  at  this,  but  I  pointed  out  that 
my  plan  would  solve  the  language  difficulty,  and  that  if  it 
succeeded  in  one  part  it  might  succeed  in  all,  whereas  if 
it  failed  they  would  be  none  the  worse  off.  They  admitted 
that  this  was  reasonable,  and  the  humor  of  the  situation 
suddenly  striking  them,  they  began  to  enjoy  it  as  an  ex- 
cellent joke. 

And  then  Runnles  suggested  a  difficulty  which  had  not 
occurred  to  me :  it  may  seem  a  mark  of  self-conceit,  but 
it  was  really  mere  thoughtlessness.  He  pointed  out  that 
though  I  spoke  French  well  (little  Runnles  was  a  man  of 
tact!),  yet  it  would  not  deceive  a  native.  He  was  un- 
doubtedly right,  and  the  suggestion  staggered  me.  Hop- 
ing to  be  reassured,  I  asked  one  of  the  deserters  whether  I 
might  pass  as  a  Frenchman,  and  I  own  I  felt  deeply 
chagrined  when,  with  a  shrug,  he  confessed  that  I  would 
not.  But  one  of  his  comrades  here  broke  in. 

"Pardon,  monsieur,"  he  said,  "what  matters  it?  That 
brute  of  a  captain  is  only  a  German  Swiss;  there  are 
plenty  such  in  the  king's  army;  and  your  French  is  as 
good  as  his." 

My  spirits  rose  at  this,  and  having  told  my  comrades 
what  he  had  said,  I  determined  to  lose  no  more  time  in  put- 
ting my  plan  into  execution.  The  changes  of  clothes  were 
quickly  made,  not  without  some  struggles  on  the  part  of 
our  victims,  and  a  vast  deal  of  violent  language  from  the 
captain,  whom  Joe  again  half  choked  with  straw.  We 
soon  had  him  and  his  men  rigged  up,  gagged  and  man- 
acled as  deserters ;  we  borrowed  (without  leave)  kerchiefs 
of  various  colors  which  the  Frenchmen  had  about  them, 
and  of  them  made  bandages  for  those  who  were  to  pass 
as  wounded.  Joe  donned  the  sergeant's  clothes,  and  the 
bosun  those  of  the  largest  of  the  company,  though  they 
were  a  sad  misfit.  It  struck  us  that  we  should  make  the 


190  HUMPHREY   BOLD 

imposture  more  complete  if  we  got  a  cart  in  which  to 
convey  OUT  wounded  men,  so  when  the  preparations  were 
otherwise  complete  I,  attired  as  the  French  captain, 
mounted  his  horse  and,  accompanied  by  two  of  the  quon- 
dam deserters  (now  appearing  quite  respectable  infantry- 
men), set  off  to  find  a  farm  where  in  the  name  of  King 
Lewis  I  might  demand  what  we  needed.  We  had  to  go 
some  three  miles  before  we  came  to  a  likely  looking  farm- 
house, and  there,  assuming  an  authoritative  and  hectoring 
manner  quite  foreign  to  my  amiable  disposition,  I  secured 
a  wagon  and  two  horses,  for  which  I  gave  the  farmer  a 
formal  receipt.  The  sight  of  his  dairy  reminded  me  that  I 
was  hungry,  and  I  added  to  my  requisition  a  good  store 
of  food,  for  which  I  knew  my  comrades  would  bless  me. 
For  driver  I  picked  out  the  stupidest  looking  yokel  I 
could  find  among  the  farmer's  men,  and  then  we  returned 
to  the  ruined  farm-house  in  triumph  and  not  a  little  haste, 
for  I  was  eager  to  set  my  teeth  in  the  bread  and  cheese 
we  were  conveying. 


CHAPTER  XVIII 

IN  THE  NAME  OF  KING  LEWIS 

While  we  were  appeasing  our  appetites,  I  got  from  the 
deserters  an  inkling  of  our  locality.  They  had  been 
marching,  as  I  knew,  from  St.  Malo  to  Rennes,  but  in- 
stead of  keeping  to  the  highroad  through  Combourg, 
they  had  taken  a  short  cut  that  saved  several  miles.  It 
passed  through  several  hamlets,  some  of  which,  they  said, 
could  be  avoided;  but  there  were  others  which  we  must 
take  on  our  way,  and  it  was  in  these  that  we  should  be 
put  to  the  test.  I  asked  the  men  if  they  knew  of  any  spot 
on  the  coast  where  we  might  find  a  boat  to  convey  us 
across  the  Channel,  and  after  consulting  together  they 
decided  that  the  only  likely  place  was  the  little  fishing 
town  of  Cancale,  about  ten  miles  east  of  St.  Malo.  It  had 
a  harbor  on  the  Bay  of  St.  Michel,  whence  the  luggers 
sailed  forth  a  little  before  sunset.  I  would  rather  have 
chosen  a  smaller  place,  and  one  more  distant  from  our 
late  prison,  but  the  men  assured  me  that  there  was  no 
other  so  easily  accessible,  or  so  likely  to  furnish  the  boat 
we  needed ;  so  I  determined  to  put  all  to  the  hazard  and 
make  for  Cancale.  It  was,  as  nearly  as  they  could  tell, 
about  five  and  twenty  miles  from  our  present  position,  so 
that  we  could  not  hope  to  reach  it  before  night,  and  we 
had  to  reconcile  ourselves  to  the  prospect  of  another  day's 
march  across  country  on  the  morrow. 

We  set  off,  a  strange  company  indeed.  One  of  the  de- 
serters led  the  way ;  behind  him  went  the  cart  containing 

191 


192  HUMPHREY   BOLD 

the  French  captain  and  his  men,  now  passing  as  deserters, 
and  all  gagged;  then  came  seven  of  my  comrades  with 
their  hands  tied,  the  other  two  deserters  marching  one  on 
each  side  of  them;  and  the  rear  was  brought  up  by  the 
bosun,  Joe  and  myself,  and  the  two  men  being  attired  as 
French  soldiers  and  having  their  heads  bandaged,  their 
supposed  wounds  being  sufficient  to  account  for  their 
silence  if  they  were  addressed. 

Having  plenty  of  time  before  us,  we  chose  devious  and 
little  frequented  roads,  the  deserters  who  led  us  being 
fortunately  familiar  with  the  district.  We  avoided  the 
villages  when  we  could,  but  towards  evening  came  to  a 
hamlet  which  it  was  impossible  to  shun,  since  only  through 
it  could  we  gain  a  ford  at  a  stream  that  crossed  our  route. 
The  appearance  of  a  party  of  soldiers  aroused  great  in- 
terest among  the  villagers.  They  came  about  us,  asking 
who  we  were  and  whither  we  were  going.  They  were 
greatly  excited  when  they  learned  that  we  were  escorting 
deserters  and  recaptured  English  prisoners.  The  real  de- 
serters told  a  glib  story  of  the  furious  fight  they  had  had 
with  the  villains  (pointing  to  the  unhappy  officer  and  his 
men).  The  villagers  threw  up  their  hands  with  shrill  ex- 
clamations at  this  moving  recital,  and,  going  up  to  the 
cart,  gazen  open-mouthed  and  not  without  a  secret  sym- 
pathy at  the  prostrate  forms.  Then  they  asked  why  the 
deserters  were  gagged.  At  this  I  took  up  the  tale,  ex- 
plaining that  they  were  desperate  characters,  and  had 
used  such  terrible  language  against  his  sacred  majesty 
the  king  that,  as  a  loyal  officer,  I  had  sworn  they  should 
not  speak  again  until  they  were  safely  jailed  in  St.  Malo. 
The  captain's  face  was  distorted  with  rage  as  he  listened 
to  this  libel :  he  flung  his  manacled  hands  about  and  made 
frantic  efforts  to  speak,  which  Joe's  gag  was  too  thor- 
oughly fixed  to  allow. 


"Voila!"  said  I,  with  a  dramatic  gesture;  and  the  sim- 
ple villagers,  taking  the  officer's  writhings  and  gnashings 
as  so  much  evidence  of  his  desperate  wickedness,  poured 
imprecations  upon  him  for  his  impiety,  and  declared  that 
no  punishment  was  too  great  for  him.  The  poor  people 
had,  I  daresay,  no  great  reason  themselves  for  loving 
their  monarch,  but  they  were  anxious  that  their  own  loy- 
alty should  be  above  suspicion. 

About  the  English  prisoners  they  expressed  their  sen- 
timents without  disguise.  The  English  were  their  natural 
enemies,  and  they  hurled  such  abuse  at  my  comrades  that 
I  felt  some  anxiety  lest  these  should  cast  off  their  cords 
(which  were  by  no  means  closely  tied)  and  take  summary 
vengeance  on  their  revilers.  Fortunately  their  patience 
endured  the  strain,  being  aided  by  their  ignorance  of  the 
precise  meaning  of  the  opprobrious  terms  applied  to  them. 

The  peasants  told  us  we  had  come  far  out  of  the  direct 
road  to  St.  Malo,  and  pressed  us  to  stay  the  night  in  their 
village.  But  this  I  would  by  no  means  consent  to,  for  I 
was  on  thorns  already  lest  something  should  mar  our  plot, 
and  was  keeping  a  wary  eye  on  our  wagoner,  who,  though 
slow-witted,  was  clearly  in  a  state  of  great  uneasiness. 
Professing,  then,  that  having  missed  our  way  we  must 
needs  hurry  on  to  make  up  for  lost  time,  I  listened  pa- 
tiently to  the  minute  and  befogging  directions  given  us 
for  finding  the  St.  Malo  road  and  ordered  my  party  to 
march.  But  when  we  had  gone  some  few  miles  out  of  the 
village,  and  darkness  was  settling  down,  I  called  a  halt, 
and  we  rested  till  daylight  in  a  field,  taking  it  in  turns  to 
watch. 

During  the  night  I  talked  long  with  Joe  Punchard  about 
our  course.  The  good  fellow  was  very  uneasy,  fearing 
that  when  it  came  to  negotiating  for  a  boat  our  scheme 
would  break  down. 


194  HUMPHREY   BOLD 

"Pluck  up  heart,  Joe,"  I  said.  "I  own  we  are  running 
a  desperate  hazard,  but  so  far  we  have  had  good  luck,  and 
'tis  a  case  of  grasping  the  nettle  boldly." 

"But  what  reason  can  we  give  for  hiring  a  boat,  sir? 
If  this  Cancale  is  but  ten  miles  from  St.  Malo  we  can  not 
say  we  are  sailing  thither;  'twould  be  quicker  to  go  by 
road." 

"Then  we'll  change  our  destination,  Joe.  We  may  do 
what  we  please  in  this  country  in  the  name  of  the  king, 
and  provided  there  be  no  soldiers  in  Cancale  we  have  but 
to  put  on  an  impudent  assurance  to  weather  through 
safely." 

I  asked  the  deserters  what  other  port  besides  St.  Malo 
we  might  give  out  to  be  our  destination,  and  learning 
that  Cherbourg  was  some  sixty  or  seventy  miles  to  the 
northward,  and  by  that  much  nearer  home,  I  determined 
to  make  that  our  aim.  This  involved  another  difficulty, 
for  the  authorities  in  Cancale  might  reasonably  say  that 
the  prisoners  having  escaped  from  near  St.  Malo,  should 
be  entrusted  to  them  to  convey  back  to  their  prison.  But 
'tis  no  good  meeting  troubles  half-way,  and  I  resolutely 
kept  my  thought  from  dwelling  on  the  manifold  dangers 
that  bestrewed  our  path  to  liberty.  We  so  contrived  our 
march  next  day  that  we  arrived  at  the  outskirts  of  Can- 
cale late  in  the  afternoon,  but  with  time  enough,  as  I 
hoped,  to  set  sail  before  night.  When  I  beheld  the  size 
of  the  place  my  heart  sank.  I  had  imagined  it  to  be  little 
more  than  a  village;  but  found  it  a  regular  town  (though 
small  for  that),  its  little  red-tiled  houses  clustering  thick 
upon  a  height  overlooking  a  bay.  We  had  already  met 
and  exchanged  speech  with  some  of  the  townsfolk,  and 
to  retreat  now  might  awaken  suspicion.  There  was  noth- 
ing for  it  but  to  adventure  boldly,  and  I  made  up  my 
mind  to  this  the  more  readily  because  I  had  caught  a 


IN  THE   NAME   OF   KING  LEWIS       195 

glimpse  of  half  a  dozen  fishing  smacks  lying  in  the  little 
harbor,  and  a  larger  vessel  of  perhaps  fifty  tons  moored 
to  the  jettyi 

With  a  word  to  my  comrades  to  be  alert  and  ready 
for  anything  that  might  happen,  I  led  the  way  at  a  quick 
pace  into  the  town.  I  had  grave  misgivings  when  I  no- 
ticed that  the  streets  were  enfete,  flags  flying  at  the  win- 
dows, and  people  gossiping  in  knots  at  the  corners.  But 
we  had  certainly  come  too  far  to  retreat,  so  I  boldly  ac- 
costed a  red-capped  fisherman  and  demanded  to  be  led 
to  the  mairie.  As  I  walked  along  beside  him  I  asked 
what  was  the  occasion  of  the  festal  appearance  of  the 
town,  and  learned  with  a  disagreeable  shock  that  no  other 
than  the  redoubtable  Duguay-Trouin  had  that  day  put 
into  the  harbor  on  the  vessel  that  lay  at  the  jetty. 

"A  notable  visitor,  truly,"  I  said,  feeling  that  I  had 
run  into  a  hornet's  nest.  "But  surely  that  small  vessel 
is  not  Monsieur  Duguay-Trouin's  own  ship,  in  which  he 
works  such  havoc  among  the  English." 

"To  be  sure,  monsieur,"  said  the  man,  "that  is  an 
English  prize.  His  own  ship  lies  in  the  offing  there,  to- 
wards the  point;  it  draws  too  much  water  to  come  into 
our  harbor.  And  there  is  another  prize  out  there  too: 
a  big  vessel,  filled,  so  they  say,  with  a  valuable  cargo. 
Oh !  without  doubt  Monsieur  Duguay-Trouin  is  a  hero, 
and  the  English  tremble  at  his  name." 

"And  why  has  he  honored  your  little  town  with  a 
visit  ?"  I  asked. 

"Why,  Monsieur  le  Capitaine,  it  is  because  the  Eng- 
lish admiral  Benbow  appeared  off  St.  Malo  this  morning 
with  four  great  ships,  and  so  Monsieur  Duguay-Trouin 
could  not  carry  his  prize  there,  and  indeed  had  to  make 
all  sail  to  escape." 

Here  was  news  indeed !    It  revived  my  drooping  spir- 


196  HUMPHREY  BOLD 

its ;  surely  there  must  be  a  providence  in  the  proximity  of 
Benbow.  But  I  devoutly  hoped  I  should  not  encounter 
Duguay-Trouin.  It  was  scarcely  probable  that  he  would 
recognize  me  in  my  new  attire,  having  paid  scant  atten- 
tion to  me  when  I  was  among  the  prisoners  on  his  deck, 
but  I  trembled  to  think  of  the  risk  we  all  ran. 

"Here  is  the  mairie,"  said  my  guide,  stopping  at  a 
house  above  which  a  flag  was  flying. 

I  thanked  him,  and  whispering  Punchard  to  keep  an 
eye  on  the  Frenchmen,  and  especially  on  the  wagoner, 
I  stepped  boldly  in  and  confronted  the  maire,  a  little 
man  with  a  cocked  hat  over  his  gray  wig. 

"Good  evening,  monsieur,"  I  said  pleasantly. 

The  maire  rose  from  his  seat  and  returned  my  greet- 
ing. 

"I  am  taking  some  deserters  to  Cherbourg,  monsieur," 
I  continued,  "and  I  must  beg  of  you  to  provide  me  to- 
morrow with  a  smack  to  convey  them  thither."  For  the 
moment  I  said  nothing  about  the  prisoners. 

"A  smack,  monsieur!"  said  the  maire.  "But  it  is 
foolish.  Does  not  monsieur  know  that  four  English 
war-ships  are  in  the  neighborhood?  Monsieur  would 
run  great  risk  of  being  captured.  I  would  recommend 
that  monsieur  march  to  Cherbourg;  he  would  then  go 
quite  safely." 

"That  is  perfectly  true,  monsieur,"  I  said  pleasantly, 
"but  it  is  a  long  and  wearisome  road ;  my  men  are  already 
greatly  fatigued  by  their  march  from  Rennes.  The  pas- 
sage by  sea  would  be  much  easier  and  more  comfortable, 
and  moreover  cheaper,  and  it  is  the  duty  of  all  good 
Frenchmen  to  save  his  majesty  expense." 

I  could  see  that  the  maire  was  nettled.  His  reluctance 
to  accede  to  my  demand  was  due,  not  so  much  to  his 
fears  for  our  safety — for  Benbow  had  higher  game  to 


IN   THE   NAME   OF   KING  LEWIS       197 

fly  at  than  a  fishing  vessel — as  to  his  indisposition  to 
provision  us  for  the  voyage.  Maybe  he  had  had  some 
experience  of  the  same  sort  before,  and  knew  that,  what- 
ever receipts  might  be  given  him  for  commodities  sup- 
plied, he  had  little  chance  of  being  reimbursed  for  such 
services  rendered  to  King  Lewis.  No  doubt  it  was  some 
recent  soreness  that  prompted  his  reply  to  my  remark 
about  all  good  Frenchmen. 

"To  judge  by  his  accent,"  he  said,  with  a  hint  of  a 
sneer,  "monsieur  is  not  a  Frenchman  himself." 

At  this  I  affected  to  be  mightily  huffed.  Laying  my 
hand  on  my  sword,  and  knitting  my  brows  to  a  frown,  I 
replied : 

"His  majesty  has  honored  me  with  a  commission. 
No  doubt  if  Monsieur  le  Maire  has  any  serious  objec- 
tions— " 

"Pardon,  Monsieur  le  Capitaine,"  the  maire  hastened  to 
say,  alarmed  at  my  tone.  "I  was  only  concerned  for 
monsieur's  safety.  Certainly  he  shall  have  a  smack, 
equipped  as  befits  the  servants  of  his  majesty." 

"That  is  well  spoken,  monsieur,"  I  said.  "Is  it  true, 
may  I  ask,  that  Monsieur  Duguay-Trouin  is  in  your 
town?" 

"Not  at  this  moment^  monsieur."  I  thrilled  with  re- 
lief at  this.  "He  has  gone  half  a  league  eastward  to  the 
chateau  of  Monsieur  le  due  de  Portorson,  having  already 
sent  a  message  to  St.  Malo  to  acquaint  the  admiral  that 
he  was  forced  to  put  in  here  by  the  appearance  of  the 
English  war-ships." 

"And  did  he  not  fear  that  in  his  absence  the  English 
might  swoop  down  upon  his  vessel  and  the  prizes  he  has 
captured?"  I  asked. 

"They  are  hidden  behind  the  point,  monsieur.  Besides, 
the  highest  part  of  our  town  commands  a  view  of  forty 


198  HUMPHREY   BOLD 

miles  of  sea,  and  we  have  placed  a  man  there  who  will 
fire  a  musket  if  a  strange  sail  appears." 

"Then  I  hope  that  we  shall  after  all' make  our  voyage 
to  Cherbourg  in  safety,"  I  said  with  an  air  of  satisfac- 
tion. "And  now,  will  monsieur  be  good  enough  to  se- 
lect the  smack  ?" 

Before  he  could  answer,  a  man  who  had  just  cantered 
up  on  horseback  entered  and  said : 

"Monsieur  le  Maire,  Monsieur  Duguay-Trouin  is  sup- 
ping with  Monsieur  le  Due.  Will  monsieur  kindly  ac- 
quaint the  lieutenant  in  charge  of  the  brig  at  the  jetty, 
and  say  that  Monsieur  Duguay-Trouin  will  return  before 
dark?" 

"Can  not  you  take  the  message  yourself?"  said  the 
maire,  whose  temper  I  fear,  had  been  ruffled  by  his  inter- 
view with  me.  The  man  explained  that  he  had  been  bid- 
den to  ride  on  without  delay  to  St.  Malo;  Monsieur 
Duguay-Trouin,  he  believed,  was  concerting  a  plan  to 
entrap  the  English  vessels,  and  it  was  of  particular  im- 
portance that  the  letter  he  bore  should  reach  the  admiral 
early.  The  maire  then  agreed  to  have  the  message  con- 
veyed to  the  lieutenant  on  the  brig,  and  the  horseman 
took  his  leave. 

During  their  short  conversation,  which  I  only*  partly 
heard,  my  brain  was  whirling  with  a  wild  dance  of  no- 
tions the  messenger's  tidings  had  suggested.  When  he 
had  gone,  I  turned  to  the  maire. 

"Monsieur,"  I  said,  "I  think  tfiere  is  much  soundness 
in  the  advice  you  gave  me  just  now.  It  will  probably  be 
safer  for  us  to  go  to  Cherbourg  by  land.  In  that  case, 
however,  I  must  request  you  to  billet  us  for  the  night." 

"Assuredly,  monsieur,"  said  the  little  man,  delighted  at 
the  turn  affairs  had  taken.  "Of  how  many  does  your 
party  consist?" 


IN   THE   NAME   OF   KING   LEWIS       199 

"Of  seven  deserters  and  five  soldiers." 

"A  dozen,"  said  the  maire,  rubbing  his  chin.  "I  fear  I 
shall  have  to  ask  some  of  my  fellow  townsmen  to  share 
in  billeting  you." 

"It  is  not  to  be  heard  of,"  I  said,  guessing  that  he 
wished  to  distribute  the  expense.  Not  that  I  should 
have  had  any  objection  to  that;  but  that  it  was  necessary 
to  the  design  I  had  suddenly  conceived  that  we  should 
be  all  together.  "It  will  not  be  safe,"  I  continued.  "The 
deserters  are  desperate  fellows,  and  will  need  careful 
guarding.  Besides,  I  have  had  the  good  luck  to  capture 
some  English  prisoners  who  had  escaped,  and  they  are 
too  precious  to  be  allowed  out  of  my  sight.  My  men 
must  take  turns  at  watching  during  the  night;  if  there 
were  an  outbreak^  it  would  not  easily  be  quelled  if  we 
were  separated." 

The  maire  had  pricked  up  his  ears  at  the  mention  of 
the  prisoners. 

"Prisoners,  monsieur !"  he  exclaimed.  "You  said  noth- 
ing of  them.  We  have  heard  about  them,  and  there  is  a 
reward  offered  for  their  capture.  If  monsieur  would 
deign  to  give  us  part  of  the  reward — " 

"We  will  talk  of  that  again,  monsieur,"  I  said.  "I  am 
in  haste  to  get  to  Cherbourg  with  the  deserters;  I  can 
trust  you,  no  doubt,  to  guard  the  prisoners  well  until  an 
escort  can  be  sent  for  them  from  St.  Malo.  In  considera- 
tion of  that,  no  doubt — " 

I  broke  off  expressively,  and  the  maire  doubtless  re- 
garded his  share  of  the  reward  as  secure,  for  he  raised 
no  more  objections.  He  accompanied  me  to  the  door, 
looked  contemptuously  at  my  comrades  (who  were  in  a 
great  state  of  anxiety,  I  can  assure  you,  knowing  nothing 
of  what  I  had  in  mind),  and  then  went  on  to  the  wagon 
where  the  supposed  deserters  were  lying.  On  seeing  him 


200  HUMPHREY    BOLD 

the  captain  started  up  and  with  many  contortions  strug- 
gled to  speak. 

"Why  are  they  gagged,  monsieur  ?"  asked  the  maire. 

I  repeated  the  explanation  I  had  already  given. 

"Terrible !"  said  the  maire,  and  the  captain  grew  purple 
in  the  face. 

"You  perceive  I  could  not  allow  my  men's  ears  to  be 
defiled  by  the  language  of  such  a  ruffian,"  I  remarked. 

"Perfectly,  monsieur.  Ah,  seller  at  I"  he  cried,  shaking 
his  fist  at  the  infuriate  officer,  and  pouring  out  upon  him 
a  torrent  of  loyal  abuse  which  I  find  it  impossible  to 
translate. 

Then  he  turned  to  the  bosun,  and  asked  him  how  he 
had  come  by  his  wound.  The  bosun  was  quick-witted 
enough  to  take  my  cue,  and,  pointing  to  the  captain, 
whose  reputation  as  the  most  violent  of  the  deserters 
was  clearly  established,  he  made  through  his  bandages  a 
series  of  grunts  and  roars  which  proved  to  the  maire 's 
satisfaction  that  his  jaw  was  very  seriously  damaged. 
And  last  of  all  inspecting  my  comrades,  who  stood  aside 
with  trouble  in  their  faces,  he  bestowed  on  them  sundry 
offensive  epithets  which  I  was  thankful  they  did  not  un- 
derstand, for  otherwise  I  am  sure  they  would  have  for- 
gotten their  part  and  endangered  everything  by  adminis- 
tering a  castigation. 

The  maire  arranged  to  billet  us  all.  Having  seen  my 
double  set  of  prisoners  securely  locked  up,  and  the  de- 
serters with  Joe  and  the  bosun  accommodated  in  a  room 
hard  by,  I  offered  to  convey  Monsieur  Duguay-Trouin's 
message  myself  to  his  lieutenant,  saying  that  I  should  be 
charmed  to  make  the  acquaintance  of  the  deputy  of  so  re- 
nowned a  seaman.  The  maire  took  this  as  a  great  mark  of 
condescension.  Accordingly  I  went  down  to  the  jetty,  not 
far  below  the  maire's  house,  and  accosting  the  officer  in 


IN   THE   NAME   OF   KING   LEWIS       201 

charge,  a  rough-spun  seaman,  I  gave  him  the  message, 
and  then  bantered  him  in  a  tone  of  good  humor. 

"So  the  English  have  been  too  much  for  you  this  time, 
lieutenant,"  I  said.  "It  is  Benbow,  they  say;  a  terrible 
fire-eater,  is  he  not  ?" 

"Bah !"  exclaimed  the  Frenchman.  "Let  him  beware. 
He  is  no  match  for  Duguay-Trouin,  and  we'll  beat  him 
again  as  we  have  done  before,  never  fear." 

"But  they  say  he  is  bottling  up  St.  Malo,"  I  said. 

"So  he  is,"  he  replied  with  a  laugh :  "and  while  he  is 
bottling  up  St.  Malo  we  shall  slip  by  to  Havre;  trust 
Duguay  for  that." 

I  asked  him  how  the  prizes  had  been  captured,  and  he 
launched  forth  into  a  long  and  vainglorious  account  (why 
must  the  French  always  boast  of  their  successes?).  I 
affected  to  be  greatly  impressed  by  his  tale  of  daring,  and 
invited  him  to  sup  with  me,  so  that  I  might  hear  more 
of  his  adventures  at  length.  As  I  had  guessed,  he  replied, 
regretfully,  that  he  could  not  leave  the  vessel. 

"I  am  not  to  be  balked/'  I  said.  "I  have  set  my 
heart  upon  it :  one  does  not  get  every  day  the  opportunity 
of  hearing  of  these  glorious  exploits  at  first-hand.  If 
you  can  not  come  to  supper,  then  supper  shall  come  to 
you.  Monsieur  Duguay-Trouin  would  not  object,  I  pre- 
sume, to  my  bringing  a  little  entertainment  on  board." 

"My  faith,  no,"  replied  the  officer,  taking  this  as  a  high 
compliment.  "I  shall  be  charmed.  I  only  regret  that  I 
can  not  invite  you,  monsieur,  but  our  cook,  together  with 
all  the  crew  but  four,  is  on  shore  for  a  spell,  and  I  have 
no  means  of  providing  a  repast  worthy  of  a  gallant  cap- 
tain." 

I  returned  in  haste  to  the  mairie,  and  informed  the 
moire  that  I  should  share  my  supper  with  the  lieutenant, 
who  had  not  enjoyed  a  meal  fit  for  a  Frenchman  for  three 


202  HUMPHREY   BOLD 

weeks.  The  maire  could  raise  no  reasonable  objection, 
though  I  doubt  not,  being-  economical,  he  grudged  this 
extra  demand  upon  his  hospitality.  As  for  me,  I  had  no 
scruples  at  getting,  at  the  King's  expense,  the  best  meal 
possible  at  such  short  notice.  While  it  was  preparing,  I 
explained  my  design  to  Joe  and  the  bosun.  They  as- 
sented to  it  with  enthusiasm;  it  was  one  that  mightily 
pleased  them  as  sailormen;  and  appealed  as  much  to 
their  sense  of  humor  as  to  their  love  of  daring. 

When  the  supper  was  ready,  I  told  off  two  of  the  three 
deserters,  with  Joe  and  the  bosun,  to  carry  it  down  to  the 
brig  on  tables  made  of  boards,  each  laid  on  two  muskets. 
The  lieutenant  received  me  with  open  arms,  and  led  me 
immediately  to  the  captain's  cabin.  Having  placed  the 
viands  on  the  table,  the  two  deserters  returned  to  the 
deck,  to  fraternize  with  the  French  crew.  The  other  two 
I  kept,  ostensibly  to  wait  at  table ;  and  I  remarked  to  the 
lieutenant  on  their  willingness  to  do  their  duty  in  spite 
of  their  wounds,  of  which  I  gave  him  a  brief  explanation. 
It  was  already  becoming  dusk ;  we  had  no  time  to  lose  if 
my  design  was  to  succeed,  for  with  the  imminent  arrival 
of  Duguay-Trouin  our  fate  was  sealed. 


CHAPTER  XIX 

I  FIGHT  DUGUAY-TROUIN 

I  had  brought  wine  on  board,  but  before  a  bottle  was 
opened  I  said,  with  a  wink  at  the  lieutenant : 

"I  fear  this  wine  of  the  country  will  taste  somewhat 
thin  after  English  rum,  monsieur." 

"We  have  a  great  quantity  of  it  in  the  hold,  monsieur," 
he  said  laughing,  "and  with  your  leave  I  will  order  my 
men  to  broach  a  cask." 

He  shouted  his  command  to  the  men  on  deck.  In- 
stantly Joe,  who  was  behind  him,  threw  his  arm  round 
the  officer's  neck,  thrust  a  gag  into  his  mouth,  and  with 
the  bosun's  aid  deftly  tied  his  arms  and  legs  together. 
Then  all  three  of  us  ran  up  the  companion  way.  In  obedi- 
ence to  the  lieutenant's  command  two  of  the  men  had 
gone  forward  and  were  descending  through  the  open 
hatchway  into  the  hold.  While  the  deserters  held  the  rest 
of  the  men  in  talk,  the  bosun  strolled  carelessly  after  the 
two,  and  as  soon  as  they  had  disappeared,  quietly  clapped 
on  the  hatch  and  battened  it  down.  Meanwhile  Joe  and 
I  joined  the  group  at  the  bulwarks,  without  awakening 
suspicion  among  the  crew.  At  a  signal  from  me  the  men 
tripped  them  up,  and  in  another  two  minutes  they  were 
lying  gagged  and  bound  on  the  deck. 

It  was  scarcely  ten  minutes  since  we  came  on  board, 
and  we  had  done  everything  without  the  least  noise  to 
alarm  the  town.  Then,  leaving  the  deserters  to  guard 

203 


204  HUMPHREY   BOLD 

the  sKip,  I  returned  in  all  haste  with  the  others  to  the 
mairie. 

"What  shall  we  do  with  our  prisoners,  Joe  ?"  I  asked,  as 
we  hurried  along. 

"Leave  'em  locked  up,  sir,  and  lock  the  moire  up  with 
them  in  case  of  accidents." 

"But  I  think  we  will  bring  the  captain  and  the  ser- 
geant," I  said.  "You  see,  they  have  got  our  clothes." 

"But  these  are  better,  sir,"  he  replied,  "and  you  make 
a  rare  fine  captain,  smite  my  timbers  if  you  don't." 

"Still,  we  will  bring  them ;  a  taste  of  prison  may  do  the 
captain,  at  any  rate,  a  world  of  good." 

And  so,  when  we  got  to  the  mairie,  I  unlocked  the  door 
where  the  prisoners  were  confined,  told  my  comrades  in 
a  few  words  what  had  happened,  and  bade  them  go  forth 
into  the  street,  when  Joe  and  the  bosun  had  loosed  their 
bands  and  hasten  to  the  harbor. 

The  maire,  learning  that  I  had  returned,  had  followed 
me  in,  and  hearing  these  words  of  English,  and  seeing 
Joe  and  the  bosun  untying  the  cords,  he  cried  to  me  to 
know  what  I  was  about.  The  bosun  instantly  laid  hands 
on  him  and  began  to  truss  him  up.  He  gave  one  shout 
of  alarm,  which  Joe  deftly  checked  with  a  gag  made  of 
the  bandage  he  had  stripped  from  his  head,  and  then  he 
was  laid  on  the  floor  beside  the  Frenchmen.  Then  we 
seized  the  captain  and  sergeant,  and  having  locked  the 
door  again,  marched  them  among  us  at  a  brisk  pace  to 
the  harbor  and  on  to  the  brig. 

"Now,  man,  we  have  no  time  to  lose,"  I  said,  as  we 
stepped  aboard.  "  Tis  nearly  dark,  and  Doggy-Trang,  as 
you  call  him,  may  return  any  minute.  Luckily  the  tide 
is  fast  ebbing.  Cast  off,  Joe ;  Bosun,  run  up  the  sail.  Ah ! 
we  are  only  just  in  time.  Here  they  come!" 

And  indeed  we  Had  escaped  only  by  the  skin  of  our 


I   FIGHT  DUGUAY-TROUIN  205 

teeth,  for  I  saw  a  number  of  French  seamen  coming  down 
the  street,  and  a  horseman  behind  them.  No  doubt  it 
was  Duguay-Trouin  himself,  and  his  coming  had  caused 
his  men  to  turn  out  of  the  cabarets.  The  brig  was  al- 
ready moving  from  the  jetty ;  the  practised  hands  of  my 
comrades  were  at  work  with  the  sails ;  and  as  the  vessel 
slipped  away  quickly  on  the  ebbing  tide,  from  sheer  light- 
heartedness  and  pleasure  at  the  success  of  our  trick  they 
made  the  welkin  ring  with  their  cheers. 

I  was  as  hilarious  as  they.  The  Frenchmen  were 
crowding  on  the  jetty,  shouting,  cursing,  actually 
screaming  to  us  to  come  back.  I  mounted  the  bulwarks, 
and,  clinging  to  the  shrouds,  took  off  my)  hat  (or  rather 
the  captain's)  and  waved  it  gaily  towards  Duguay- 
Trouin,  who,  having  dismounted,  had  pushed  through  his 
men,  and  was  evidently  angrily  demanding  an  explana- 
tion of  the  extraordinary  scene  he  had  arrived  in  time 
to  witness.  The  townsfolk  and  fishers  were  flocking 
down  now  in  great  numbers;  the  shouting  increased  to 
a  veritable  pandemonium,  and  as  we  scudded  away  far- 
ther and  farther  into  the  growing  darkness  I  heard  the 
scurrying  of  feet  on  the  cobble  stones  and  the  creaking 
of  blocks  as  the  sails  were  run  up  on  the  smacks  in  the 
harbor.  They  were  going  to  pursue  us,  then !  I  laughed 
aloud.  With  nine  good  English  tars  aboard  an  English 
brig  I  thought  I  could  snap  my  fingers  at  Duguay-Trouin 
in  a  smack. 

But  there  was  one  danger,  which,  after  the  flush  of 
jubilation  had  died  down,  I  was  quick  to  appreciate. 
Duguay-Trouin's  privateer  was  lying  off  the  point  a  few 
miles  northward,  and  if,  in  answer  to  a  signal,  she  were 
to  join  in  the  chase,  I  saw  that  our  chances  of  getting 
away  were  small  enough.  Even  as  the  thought  struck 
me,  two  musket  shots  were  fired  from  the  harbor.  These 


206  HUMPHREY.   BOLQ 

were  doubtless  a  signal,  but  they  could  scarcely  convey 
any  real  information :  the  capture  of  the  brig  at  its  moor- 
ings was  too  unlikely  a  thing  to  have  been  provided 
against.  But  the  shots  would  set  the  privateer  on  the 
alert,  and  we  must  run  no  risks  of  encountering  her. 
So,  instead  of  running  straight  out  into  the  channel,  we 
stood  away  up  the  coast,  keeping  the  brig  close-hauled. 
She  proved  somewhat  slow  in  working  to  windward,  but 
we  were  now  almost  totally  enveloped  in  darkness,  and 
by  hugging  the  shore  were  not  so  likely  to  be  descried 
from  the  privateer  as  if  we  ran  out  to  sea. 

Unluckily  this  gave  the  pursuers  some  advantage  of 
us.  Looking  in  our  wake,  I  by  and  by  discerned  three 
smacks  in  full  chase,  and  perceived  that  they  were  stead- 
ily overhauling  us.  The  brig  carried  a  brass  gun,  and  I 
thought  it  well  to  get  her  ready  for  use,  though  I  was 
determined  not  to  fire  save  in  extremity,  since  the  flash 
would  apprise  the  privateer  of  our  direction  and  bring 
her  on  our  track.  But  the  distance  between  us  and  the 
leading  smack  grew  less  and  less,  and  knowing  that  we 
dare  not  allow  them  to  close  in  upon  us  (for  doubtless 
their  crews  vastly  outnumbered  ours  and  would  over- 
power us  if  they  got  the  chance  to  board),  I  at  length, 
when  our  enemy  was  within  about  half  a  cable's  length 
of  us,  called  to  the  bosun  to  fire,  aiming  to  hull  her  just 
below  water  line.  He  set  his  match  to  the  touch  hole,  and 
the  round  shot  flew  forth.  I  could  not  tell  whether  the 
smack  was  hit  or  not,  but  'twas  clear  that  she  had  suf- 
fered little  or  no  damage,  for  she  came  on  as  fast  as  ever. 
The  bosun  reloaded  in  all  haste,  and  fired  again  when 
she  could  not  have  been  above  fifty  yards  distant.  This 
time  I  knew  the  shot  had  struck  her,  but  she  still  came 
on,  and  as  she  was  now  below  our  line  of  fire  I  feared  it 


I   FIGHT   DUGUAY-TROUIN  207 

would  come  to  push  of  pike  after  all.  But  a  moment  or 
two  afterwards  I  rejoiced  to  see  that  she  was  losing  way : 
our  shot  had  gone  home.  The  other  two  smacks  over- 
took her,  and  then  began  a  dropping  fire  of  musketry 
from  all  three. 

Clearly  it  was  no  longer  expedient  to  hull  them  merely. 
Their  speed  was  so  much  superior  to  the  brig's  that  even 
if  we  hit  one  or  other  of  them  they  might  close  in  before 
their  pace  was  much  checked  by  the  inrush  of  water. 
Loath  as  I  was  to  spill  blood,  I  bade  the  bosun  now  load 
the  gun  with  grape,  and  my  qualms  were  banished  when 
I  heard  cries  of  pain,  and  learned  that  Runnles  and  an- 
other had  been  hit  by  musket  shots.  The  smack  that  was 
leading  was  coming  up  directly  in  our  wake. 

"Give  it  her,  Bosun !"  I  cried. 

"She  shall  have  it,"  he  answered,  and  immediately  she 
was  swept  by  the  grape  shot  from  stem  to  stern,  yells 
and  execrations  telling  that  the  bosun  had  not  aimed  in 
vain.  She  at  once  paid  off  before  the  wind :  'twas  clear 
the  steersman  had  been  hit;  and  before  another  man 
could  take  his  place  and  bring  her  head  round  the  smack 
behind  crashed  into  her. 

I  had  good  hope  that  the  chase  was  now  ended,  and  we 
might  go  rejoicing  on  our  way  to  the  white  shores  of 
England.  But  I  was  reckoning  without  Duguay-Trouin. 
For  a  few  moments  we  drew  away  from  our  pursuers; 
but  then  I  saw  that  the  third  smack  had  cleared  herself 
from  the  one  she  had  run  into  and  was  again  sailisig 
swiftly  in  our  wake,  having  apparently  suffered  no  in- 
jury. The  bosun  had  already  re-charged  the  gun  with 
grape,  but  when  he  fired,  at  a  range  which  forbade  the 
possibility  of  missing,  there  were  only  one  or  two  cries 
instead  of  the  chorus  we  had  heard  before. 


208  HUMPHREY   BOLD 

"Burst  me  if  they  be  not  lying  down  in  the  bottom," 
said  Joe,  standing  at  my  side,  "and  the  shot  have  passed 
clean  over  them." 

"And  'tis  no  good  firing  again,"  I  said.  "We  can't 
depress  the  gun  enough  to  hull  her  or  hit  the  men,  and 
the  shot  will  only  cut  holes  in  the  rigging.  Would  we 
had  tried  round  shot  and  brought  down  her  mast." 

"  Tis  all  hands  to  repel  boarders  now,"  returned  Joe, 
"and  there'll  be  a  few  broken  heads  afore  we  are  done." 

Runnles  meanwhile  had  had  the  good  sense  and  the 
ready  wit  to  load  three  muskets  apiece  from  the  ship's 
armory.  We  each  of  us  took  one,  having  the  other  two 
in  reserve  at  our  feet.  The  smack  came  on  bravely,  and 
I  could  now  see  that  her  deck  was  swarming  with  men. 
She  had  deflected  somewhat  from  her  straight  course, 
and  was  coming  up  on  our  larboard  quarter,  whither  we 
hastened  to  meet  the  attempt  to  board  us.  In  another 
minute  the  vessels  touched,  and  a  few  shots  were  fired 
from  the  smack,  but  without  damage  to  us,  for  the  impact 
had  set  her  rocking,  so  that  'twas  impossible  for  the 
Frenchmen  to  take  good  aim.  Next  moment  they  threw 
grapnels  into  our  rigging,  and  the  vessels  were  locked 
together. 

The  whole  of  our  company,  save  Dilly  at  the  wheel, 
was  spread  along  the  bulwarks,  and  at  my  word  twelve 
muskets  sped  their  slugs  among  the  men  endeavoring  to 
swarm  up  our  side.  There  were  cries  and  groans  enough 
now,  and  not  merely  from  the  enemy,  for  while  the  fore- 
most of  them  was  attempting  to  board,  others  beyond 
fired  at  us,  and  I  knew  from  the  bosun's  bellow  of  rage 
that  he  for  one  had  been  hit.  We  snatched  up  a  second 
musket  each,  but  before  we  could  turn  to  fire  them,  three 
of  the  Frenchmen  had  gained  a  footing  on  our  deck. 
Making  a  rush  for  these,  we  shoved  them  by  main  force 


I   FIGHT   DUGUAY-TROUIN  209 

back  over  the  side,  only  just  in  time  to  meet  another 
group  who  had  scrambled  up.  It  was  no  longer  possible 
to  fire.  We  clubbed  our  muskets  and  dealt  about  us  lus- 
tily, cheers  and  yells  and  groans  mingling  in  a  babel  the 
like  of  which  I  had  never  heard  before.  I  reckoned  that 
there  were  at  least  three  Frenchmen  to  every  one  of  us, 
and  Duguay-Trouin  was  with  them;  I  heard  his  voice 
shouting  encouragement.  'Twas  lucky  that  their  deck 
was  lower  than  ours,  for  if  we  had  been  level  I  doubt  not 
we  had  soon  been  overpowered  by  the  weight  of  numbers. 
But  they,  being  below  us,  and  crowded  to  boot,  wuld  not 
use  their  superiority  to  advantage,  and  though  they  did 
what  mortal  men  might  to  get  at  us,  we  beat  them  back 
time  after  time. 

Joe,  beside  me,  was  a  host  in  himself.  'Twas  clear 
fighting  and  not  coopering  was  the  trade  he  was  born  to ; 
he  cut  and  thrust  and  jabbed  and  smote  with  his  musket, 
and  more  than  once  drove  a  Frenchman  backward  by 
mere  shoving  with  his  mighty  shoulders,  breathing  hard, 
shouting  loving  farewells  to  the  men  he  heaved  into  the 
smack  or  the  sea,  some  of  them,  I  fear,  never  to  fight 
again.  But  in  truth  we  all  fought  with  might  and  main; 
we  knew  how  much  depended  on  the  issue.  And  let  no 
Englishman  ever  despise  the  French  as  an  enemy,  as  'tis 
the  fashion  with  some  vainglorious  folk  to  do.  I  have 
fought  them,  and  I  know,  and  I  say  they  are  gallant 
fighters,  and  as  brave  as  men  can  be. 

How  long  the  fight  continued  I  could  not  tell ;  but  all 
at  once,  as  it  seemed  to  me,  the  enemy  disappeared ;  there 
was  no  one  in  front  of  me  to  hit. 

"Fling  off  the  grappling  irons,"  I  shouted,  and  in  a 
trice  we  disengaged  them  and  cast  them  back  whence  they 
came.  The  two  vessels  broke  apart,  and  though  ere  we 
had  left  the  smack  behind,  a  volley  of  bullets  fell  among 


2io  HUMPHREY   BOLD 

us,  hitting  three  of  our  men,  and  giving  me  a  burning 
wound  in  the  leg,  the  fight  was  over.  We  hailed  our 
victory  with  a  true  English  cheer,  and  I  own  I  felt  no  lit- 
tle pride  in  having  worsted  so  renowned  a  captain  as 
Duguay-Trouin. 

But  I  was  by  no  means  sure  that  we  were  wholly  out 
of  peril.  The  sound  of  firing  must  have  been  heard  for 
miles  around,  and  we  could  not  tell  but  that  Duguay- 
Trouin's  own  vessel,  and  maybe  others,  too,  were  making 
sail  towards  us.  Dilly  had  now  set  the  course  of  the  ves- 
sel due  north,  but  the  wind  was  against  us,  and  we  had 
still  many  hours  to  sail  before  we  gained  the  open  Chan- 
nel. A  big  red  moon  was  peering  above  the  horizon,  and 
(having  stanched  my  wound  and  done  what  was  possible 
for  my  comrades  who  were  hurt,  none  seriously,  thank 
God!)  I  looked  anxiously  for  signs  of  vessels.  By  and 
by,  as  the  light  increased  with  the  whitening  moon,  I  did 
indeed  behold  a  large  vessel  under  full  sail  beating  to- 
wards us,  and  I  made  no  doubt  'twas  Duguay-Trouin's 
privateer.  The  bosun  said  her  course  would  bring  her 
athwart  ours,  and  I  felt  how  barren  our  late  victory  would 
prove  if  she  came  to  grips  with  us.  'Twas  clear  she  was 
outsailing  us,  and  the  seasoned  mariners  among  my  com- 
rades foretold  that  in  a  couple  of  hours  we  should  be  at 
her  mercy. 

We  had  spread  all  the  canvas  we  could  carry,  and 
could  only  wait  and  hope.  I  sat  on  a  coil  of  rope,  suffer- 
ing much  pain  from  my  wound,  and  trembling  with  anx- 
iety as  I  watched  the  vessel  drawing  nearer  and  nearer. 
A  shifting  of  the  wind  helped  us  to  mend  our  pace  a  lit- 
tle; two  hours,  three  hours,  four  hours  passed,  and  still 
the  enemy  had  not  come  within  range  of  us.  And  then, 
as  day  began  to  dawn,  I  gave  up  hope,  foreseeing  a  speedy 
end  to  the  chase  and  an  enforced  surrender. 


I   FIGHT   DUGUAY-TROUIN  211 

But  a  cry  from  Runnles,  who  had  gone  aloft,  raised  my 
drooping  spirits. 

"Four  sail,  sir,  on  the  larboard  bow,"  he  shouted. 

I  sprang  up  (forgetting  my  wounded  leg),  and  looked 
eagerly  across  the  sea.  By  and  by  I  discovered  four  ves- 
sels of  a  large  size  bearing  down  upon  us  from  the  west. 
Whether  friend  or  foe  I  could  not  tell  until  I  saw  the 
privateer  change  her  course  and  at  last  head  directly  back 
towards  the  shore.  Then  a  great  shout  of  thankfulness 
broke  from  the  throats  of  us  tired  men.  We  could  no 
longer  doubt  that  these  were  English  ships,  and  we  were 
alive  with  excitement  when  we  saw  two  of  them  part 
from  the  others  and  go  in  chase  of  the  privateer.  Would 
they  catch  her?  We  forgot  our  fatigue  and  wounds,  so 
fascinated  were  we  in  watching  the  pursuit,  and  the 
other  two  vessels  were  within  hailing  distance  of  us  al- 
most before  we  were  aware.  English  colors  were  now 
flying  at  our  masthead,  and  a  voice  through  a  speaking 
trumpet  called  to  know  who  we  were. 

"The  brig  Polly  of  Southampton,"  roared  the  bosun 
in  reply,  "run  a-truant  from  Doggy-Trang.  And  who  be 
you  ?  Ads  bobs,  sir,"  he  added  in  a  breath  to  me,  "there 
be  a  white  flag  at  her  fore  topmast." 

"What's  that  mean?"  I  asked.  But  I  had  my  answer 
from  the  other  vessel. 

"The  frigate  Gloucester,  with  Admiral  Benbow  aboard." 

And  then  Joe  Punchard  danced  a  pirouette  ('twas  a 
comical  sight,  he  being  so  bandy),  and  shouted: 

"  'Tis  my  captain,  my  captain,  dash  my  bowlines  and 
binnacle."  And  he  caught  the  arm  of  one  of  the  deserters, 
and  danced  him  round  the  deck  till  he  was  dizzy. 


CHAPTER   XX 

THE  KING'S  COMMISSION 

I  have  had  many  happy  moments  in  my  life,  but  none 
happier,  I  do  think,  than  when  Admiral  Benbow  clapped 
me  on  the  shoulder  and  cried,  in  his  big  quarter-deck 
voice : 

"Why.,  my  lad,  we  must  have  you  a  middy,  and  you 
shall  serve  the  King." 

I  was  in  the  admiral's  own  cabin  on  the  Gloucester, 
whither  I  had  been  taken  when  my  wound  was  dressed. 
Mr.  Benbow  and  the  captain  were  both  there,  and  to  them 
I  had  to  tell  my  story,  from  the  time  of  my  setting  forth 
from  Shrewsbury  to  the  late  fight  with  Duguay-Trouin. 
Some  little  concernments  of  my  own  (the  fight  with 
Topper  in  the  barn,  and  my  rescue  of  Mistress  Lucy  on 
the  highroad)  I  kept  to  myself,  but  the  rest  of  my  ad- 
ventures I  related  as  I  have  set  them  down  here,  though, 
to  be  sure,  more  shortly.  The  officers  found  much  en- 
tertainment in  my  narrative,  and  in  particular  they  were 
mightily  tickled  at  the  notion  of  escaped  prisoners  cap- 
turing themselves.  The  admiral  was  good  enough  to 
speak  in  high  praise  of  my  doings  (far  beyond  my  de- 
serts), and  then  he  told  me  that  though  he  could  not 
himself  make  a  midshipman  without  a  warrant  from  a 
higher  power,  he  would  use  his  interest  in  my  behoof, 
and  had  no  doubt  that  all  would  fall  out  as  I  most  ar- 
dently desired. 

212 


THE   KING'S   COMMISSION  213 

I  had  to  wear  my  leg  in  a  sling  for  a  week  or  more,  but 
then  I  got  about  as  nimbly  as  ever.  In  all  but  name  I 
was  a  junior  midshipman,  for  the  admiral  said  I  must 
learn  betimes  the  duties  of  the  rank  which  was  to  be 
mine  as  soon  as  he  could  compass  it.  And  I  set  about 
doing  so  with  zest,  for  I  was  now  turned  eighteen,  and 
there  were  boys  in  my  mess  four  years  younger  who  were 
veterans  in  seamanship  and  ship  drill  compared  with  me. 
My  messmates  welcomed  me  with  much  kindness ;  while 
I  was  laid  up  of  my  wound  they  had  heard  of  my  adven- 
tures from  Joe  Punchard,  who  was  a  prime  favorite 
aboard ;  and  they  all  declared  they  wished  they  had  had  my 
luck,  though  they  agreed  with  me  when  I  reminded  them 
that  a  nine  months'  imprisonment  was  after  all  a  long 
price  to  pay.  They  told  me  I  should  certainly  get  a  good 
share  of  prize  money  for  the  recapture  of  the  Polly  of 
Southampton,  and  probably  also  for  the  other  prize  of 
Duguay-Trouin's  that  was  retaken.  The  two  frigates 
sent  in  chase  of  the  privateer  had  failed  to  come  up  with 
her,  but  they  had  seized  the  prize  lying  off  the  point, 
which  proved  to  be  an  Indiaman  richly  laden.  The 
knowledge  that  I  should  soon  have  some  money  of  my 
own  was  very  grateful  to  me,  and  I  felt  a  natural  elation 
of  spirits  at  the  wonderful  change  that  had  come  over  my 
fortunes. 

I  hoped  that  while  I  was  on  the  admiral's  ship  I  should 
see  and  take  my  part  in  a  good  set  battle  between  our 
squadron  and  the  French ;  but  in  this  I  was  disappointed. 
Admiral  Benbow  was  on  his  way  to  Dunkirk,  to  lie  in 
wait  for  the  French  admiral  Du  Bart  and  pursue  him  if 
he  should  put  to  sea.  We  cruised  off  the  port  for  up- 
wards of  a  month  without  any  encounter  with  the  enemy ; 
and  when  at  last,  towards  the  end  of  August,  we  gave 
chase  to  some  of  their  vessels  which  had  slipped  out,  we 


214  HUMPHREY   BOLD 

failed  to  overtake  any  of  them  save  a  small  privateer  of 
ten  guns,  which  struck  her  colors  on  the  first  demand  we 
made. 

And  then  in  September  we  learned  that  peace  was  pro- 
claimed. The  treaty  about  whose  terms  the  diplomatists 
had  been  wrangling  for  seven  or  eight  months  had  at 
last  been  signed  at  Ryswick,  and  the  war  was  at  an  end. 
But  none  of  the  officers  believed  that  the  peace  would 
endure.  'Twas  impossible,  they  said,  that  Dutch  William 
would  ever  be  a  friend  of  French  Lewis,  and  they  prog- 
nosticated that  the  lifelong  struggle  between  the  two 
kings  would  yet  be  fought  out  to  a  bitter  end.  Regard- 
ing war,  as  did  all  lads  of  my  age,  rather  as  a  stage  for 
the  display  of  gallantry  and  prowess  than  as  the  dreadful 
scourge  it  really  is,  I  wished  for  nothing  better  than  that 
I  should  soon  have  an  opportunity  of  serving  under  the 
brave  admiral.  He  was  already  a  hero  to  me,  and  not  to 
me  only.  All  the  world  knows  of  his  courage  and  daring 
and  skill,  but  only  those  who  were  closely  connected  with 
him  know  the  full  worth  of  that  great-hearted  man.  The 
sailors  loved  him.  He  would  go  and  sit  down  with  them 
in  the  foc'sle,  chatting  with  them  rather  like  a  brother 
than  a  high  officer,  yet  without  loss  of  dignity  or  respect. 
Bravery  and  seamanship  he  rated  at  their  true  value, 
whether  in  peer  or  peasant;  but  he  never  could  abide 
the  fops  and  fine  gentlemen  who  thought  they  became 
officers  merely  by  donning  epaulets.  With  them  he  had 
no  patience,  and  in  consequence  he  was  as  much  hated 
as  loved.  The  tars  were  his  to  a  man:  but  the  officers 
were  either  his  dear  friends  or  his  bitter  foes. 

Towards  the  end  of  September  we  ran  into  Portsmouth1 
harbor,  and  the  ships  were  then  paid  off.  I  learned  that 
some  time  must  elapse  before  the  prize  money  was  dis- 
tributed :  but  being  eager  to  get  back  to  Shrewsbury  and 


THE   KING'S   COMMISSION  215 

see  my  good  friend  and  especially  to  acquaint  Captain 
Galsworthy  with  my  wondrous  good  fortune,  I  was  glad 
to  accept  the  advance  of  twenty  pounds  which  the  admiral 
offered  me  when  I  told  him  of  my  wish.  I  spent  five 
pounds  in  buying  a  befitting  suit  of  clothes,  devoting 
much  care  to  the  cloth  and  the  cut.  The  admiral  laughed 
when  I  went  to  take  leave  of  him,  and  jokingly  said  that 
he  hoped  I  was  not  going  to  shame  him  by  turning  into 
a  beau  and  a  lady-killer. 

"I  smoke  you,  by  gad !"  he  cried  with  another  laugh, 
when  to  my  confusion  I  felt  my  cheeks  go  warm.  And 
the  truth  of  it  is  I  had  determined  to  pay  a  visit  to 
Mr.  Allardyce  on  my  way  home,  and  the  wish  to  cut  a 
different  figure  from  that  in  which  I  had  first  appeared  to 
the  ladies  of  his  family  had  entered  not  a  little  into  the 
consideration  of  my  new  garments.  Why  do  I  say  "the 
ladies"  ?  Let  me  be  honest  and  say  'twas  Mistress  Lucy 
I  had  in  my  mind. 

There  was  no  question  of  tramping  to  Shrewsbury 
afoot.  I  took  passage  to  Bristowe  in  a  coasting  vessel, 
and  there,  after  having  a  chat  with  old  Woodrow  (who 
told  me  that  his  friend  Captain  Reddaway  had  sworn  to 
shew  me  a  rope's  end  for  deceiving  him  if  I  ever  came 
athwart  his  hawser) }  I  booked  a  seat  in  the  new  dili- 
gence that  ran  between  Bristowe  and  Worcester,  and 
there  indulged  myself  in  the  luxury  of  a  postchaise  for 
the  journey  to  the  Hall.  And  I  warrant  you  I  was  as  proud 
as  a  peacock  when  the  chaise  swung  in  at  the  gate,  and 
rattled  up  the  drive  to  the  door.  'Twas  Susan  who 
opened  it.  She  stared  at  me  for  a  moment,  then  burst 
out  a-giggling,  and  left  me  standing  while  she  rushed 
into  the  house  with  a  cry  of  "Measter,  here  be  Joe  come 
back,  dressed  like  a  lord !" 

"The  deuce  he  is !"  came  the  answering  roar,  and  down 


216  HUMPHREY   BOLD. 

came  Mr.  Allardyce,  pipe  in  hand,  with  his  wife  and 
Mistress  Lucy  close  behind  him. 

"How  d'ye  do,  sir  ?"  says  I,  advancing1,  feeling  my  face 
glow,  with  pleasure  at  seeing  my  kind  friends  again  as 
much  as  any  other  emotion,  I  am  sure. 

"Come  back  for  a  job,  Joe  ?"  cries  Mr.  Allardyce,  grip- 
ping my  hand  heartily.  "Ah !  you  impostor !  We  know 
all  about  you,  you  young  dog,  don't  we,  madam?  Joe! 
Humph!" 

"You  can't  shorten  it  like  that,  sir,"  said  I,  laughing, 
and  giving  a  hand  to  the  ladies  in  turn.  And  I  don't 
know  whether  'twas  due  to  the  suit  of  clothes,  but  cer- 
tainly I  felt,  as  I  shook  hands  with  Mistress  Lucy,  none 
of  the  shamefaced  awkwardness  that  had  overcome  me 
when  I  stood  before  her  in  rags  and  she  called  me  "poor 
man." 

They  had  me  into  the  room  where  I  had  begged  work 
of  Mr.  Allardyce,  and  despatched  Susan  (still  giggling) 
to  bespeak  a  meal  of  Martha  the  cook. 

"And  you  must  give  an  account  of  yourself,  Mr.  Bold," 
says  Mr.  Allardyce,  putting  out  a  chair  for  me  and  push- 
ing a  pipe  into  my  hand. 

"With  all  my  heart,  sir,"  said  I,  "but  first  will  you 
please  enlighten  me  as  to  how  you  know  my  name  ?" 

"Why  we  learned  it  a  month  after  you  left  us,"  he  re- 
plied. "  'Twas  Roger  found  it  out.  He  is  not  here,  hang 
it !"  he  said,  his  face  falling  a  little.  "We  could  not  keep 
him  at  home  after  you  had  gone,  and  now  he's  carrying 
an  ensign  in  the  foot  regiment  of  General  Webb.  Well, 
'twas  he  found  out  all  about  you.  Having  set  his  heart 
on  going  into  the  army,  he  must  needs  go  into  Shrews- 
bury to  take  lessons  in  fencing  from  a  Captain  Gals- 
worthy he  had  heard  of.  And  it  appears  that  during-  his 
very  first  bout  with  the  captain  he  tried  a  botte  that  you 


THE   KING'S   COMMISSION  217 

had  taught  him.  The  captain  drops  his  point,  and  stares 
a  moment,  and  then  cries  'Ads  my  life!  The  only  man 
in  the  world  that  knows  that  botte  besides  myself  is 
Humphrey  Bold.  Where  in  the  name  of  Beelzebub  did 
you  learn  it?'  And  so  it  all  came  out,  and  the  whole 
story  of  the  villainous  doings  of  those  Cluddes  and  Law- 
yer Vetch—" 

"Stay,  sir,"  I  interrupted;  "Mr.  Vetch  is  a  very  dear 
friend  of  mine,  and  I  would  lay  my  life  he  is  innocent  of 
any  share  of  the  trickery  that  lost  me  my  father's  lands." 

"Maybe,  maybe:  I  know  the  story  of  the  will,"  said 
Mr.  Allardyce.  "Roger  was  wild  with  excitement  when 
he  came  back,  and  nothing  would  satisfy  him  but  that  he 
must  go  to  Bristowe  and  see  if  he  could  learn  any  news 
of  you.  But  he  could  learn  nothing,  and — " 

"My  dear,"  says  Mistress  Allardyce  at  this  point,  "you 
are  keeping  us  waiting  so  long.  Lucy  and  I  want  to 
hear  Mr.  Bold." 

"That's  an  extinguisher,"  cries  he  with  a  jolly  laugh'. 
"Light  my  pipe,  Lucy,  my  dear :  it  will  last  a  good  half- 
hour,  and  maybe  that  will  be  long  enough  for  Mr.  Bold's 
story." 

But  in  truth  he  had  smoked  another  couple  of  pipes 
before  I  had  finished,  and  gave  no  heed  to  Susan  when 
she  appeared  at  the  door  and  said  that  my  meal  was 
ready.  I  have  heard  that  a  speaker's  eloquence  depends 
much  upon  his  hearers  and  the  bond  of  sympathy  be- 
twixt him  and  them,  and  sure  I  spoke  with  a  freedom 
that  surprised  me.  Certainly  no  man  was  ever  better  fa- 
vored in  his  audience;  Mr.  Allardyce  let  his  pipe  go 
out  more  than  once.  And  the  ladies  hung  on  my  words, 
Mistress  Lucy  sitting  forward  in  her  chair,  her  lips 
parted,  her  eyes  kindling,  and  a  ruddy  glow  suffusing 
her  cheeks.  The  room  rang  with  Mr.  Allardyce's  laugh- 


218  HUMPHREY   BOLD 

ter  when  I  described  our  march  across  country  with  the 
gagged  Frenchmen,  and  I  vow  I  could  almost  hear  the 
beating  of  Mistress  Lucy's  heart  as  I  told  of  our  fight 
with  Duguay-Trouin. 

When  I  had  ended  my  tale,  Mr.  Allardyce  tugged  at 
the  bell-rope,  crying: 

"Egad,  we  must  drink  the  health  of  Mr.  Midshipman 
Bold,"  and  when  Susan  appeared,  with  surprising  celer- 
ity (I  believe  the  minx  had  been  listening  at  the  door) 
he  roared  at  her  for  keeping  me  waiting  so  long  a- fasting. 
"And  what  do  you  think  of  that,  Lucy  ?"  he  cries,  turning 
to  his  niece.  "Didst  ever  hear  such  a  tale  of  ups  and 
downs  and  derring-do?" 

"I  love  Joe  Punchard,"  said  Mistress  Lucy,  and  that 
set  her  uncle  a-laughing  again,  though  I  confess  it  some- 
what mystified  me. 

My  kind  friends  insisted  that  I  should  stay  the  night 
with  them,  and  we  sat  up  talking  to  a  late  hour.  I  longed 
to  ask  how  things  stood  in  the  matter  of  the  guardian- 
ship of  Mistress  Lucy,  but  the  subject  was  ignored  by 
tacit  consent  so  long  as  the  ladies  were  in  the  room. 
When  they  had  retired,  however,  Mr.  Allardyce  drew  his 
chair  alongside  of  mine,  and  said : 

"Humphrey,  I  am  worried  out  of  my  life.  We  are 
almost  in  a  state  of  siege  here.  Ever  since  that  attempt 
at  kidnapping  Lucy  that  you  so  happily  frustrated  I  have 
never  felt  easy  about  her.  She  never  goes  forth  unat- 
tended now :  those  morning  rides  are  at  an  end.  I  have 
taken  two  more  menservants  to  act  as  special  guard  for 
her,  and  they  two,  or  myself  and  one  of  them,  always  ac- 
company her,  with  well  primed  pistols,  I  warrant  you. 
Men  have  been  seen  at  various  times  lurking  about  here, 
and  I  have  taken  pains  to  track  them,  and  went  so  far  as 
to  commit  one  of  them  for  loitering  with  intent  to  com- 


THE   KING'S   COMMISSION  219 

mit  a  felony.  But  I  had  no  proof,  and  an  attorney  fellow 
in  Shrewsbury  named  Moggridge  threatened  me  with 
all  sorts  of  pains  and  penalties  if  I  did  not  at  once  release 
the  villain." 

"But  what  does  the  law  say  to  it,  sir  ?"  I  asked. 

"The  law  is  uncommon  slow  to  say  anything,  confound 
it !  My  lawyer  in  Bridgenorth  was  at  first  all  for  an  ac- 
commodation, as  he  called  it;  he  wanted  me  to  make 
terms  with  that  rogue  Cludde,  and  a  host  of  letters  passed 
between  him  and  Moggridge,  who  is  Cludde's  attorney. 
But  that  failed;  of  course  it  did,  since  I  wouldn't  give 
way,  and  now  my  man  has  filed  a  bill  in  chancery  to 
make  Lucy  a  ward  of  court,  with  me  as  her  guardian. 
The  other  side  is  opposing,  and  the  case  will  not  come  on 
till  next  sessions  and  maybe  not  then.  My  man  says  we 
are  bound  to  win,  the  court,  as  he  declares,  being  very 
jealous  of  the  rights  of  minors,  especially  where  property 
is  concerned.  But  meanwhile  we  live  in  constant  fear  of 
the  girl  being  carried  off,  and  if  they  once  get  her  there 
will  be  precious  little  chance  of  getting  her  back." 

"Can  we  not  imprison  Dick  Cludde  for  the  former  at- 
tempt ?"  I  suggested.  "Now  that  I  am  back  I  could  give 
evidence  against  him." 

"He  is  away  with  his  ship,  and  will  be  careful,  you  may 
be  sure,  not  to  show  his  nose  again  in  these  parts  while 
there  is  any  danger." 

"But  the  other  fellow,  Vetch — has  he  been  seen  Here- 
abouts? I  have  often  wondered  what  became  of  him 
after  he  left  prison." 

"What  is  he  like?" 

"A  tall,  thin,  weasel-faced  fellow,  with  a  sour  look." 

"No,  I  have  not  seen  or  heard  of  him." 

"If  I  could  hear  of  his  whereabouts  I  would  have  him 
arrested  for  his  complicity  in  my  kidnapping.  I  own  I 


220  HUMPHREY   BOLD 

should  feel  more  secure  of  Mistress  Lucy's  safety  if  I 
knew  he  was  laid  by  the  heels.  Could  you  give  me  a 
warrant,  sir,  which  I  could  execute  if  ever  I  met  him?" 

"I  will  certainly  do  so,  though  I  doubt  if  he'll  ever  give 
you  the  opportunity.  Villains  of  his  stamp  are  uncom- 
monly clever  in  running  to  earth.  But  you  shall  have  the 
warrant." 

"I  shall  see  his  uncle  to-morrow,"  I  said.  "May  I 
mention  Mistress  Lucy's  affairs  to  him?  He  was  ac- 
counted a  good  lawyer  until  that  unhappy  business  of  my 
father's  will,  and  as  he  has  no  reason  to  love  the  Cluddes, 
or  his  nephew  either,  I  am  sure  he  would  give  the  best 
advice  he  knows." 

"Do  so,  by  all  means ;  'twill  be  some  comfort  to  know 
that  my  man  is  taking  the  right  course." 

We  sat  till  near  midnight,  and  Mr.  Allardyce  recovered 
something  of  his  usual  good  spirits  before  I  rose  to  say 
good  night.  As  he  shook  hands  with  me  he  broke  into  a 
sudden  laugh. 

"Egad!"  he  cried,  "I  had  forgot  to  ask  you  whether 
you  still  have  that  crown-piece  you  were  so  loath  to  part 
with." 

"Indeed  I  have,"  I  said,  laughing  too.  "It  is  slung 
about  my  neck,  and  there  it  will  remain  until  I  return  it 
with  interest  to  Dick  Cludde." 

"Dick  Cludde!"  says  he.  "What!  is  he  concerned  in 
that  too?" 

And  then  I  told  him  what  I  had  hitherto  kept  to  my- 
self— that  incident  upon  the  road  when  Cludde  flung  the 
coin  at  me. 

"On  my  life,  Humphrey,"  he  said,  "I  should  not  care 
to  have  you  for  an  enemy." 

And  then  we  parted. 

I  left  next  morning,  promising  to  see  my  friends  as 


THE   KING'S   COMMISSION  5221 

often  as  possible  before  I  received  the  summons  which  I 
hoped  for  from  Admiral  Benbow.  Mr.  Allardyce  lent 
me  one  of  his  horses,  which  he  was  kind  enough  to  place 
at  my  service  while  I  remained  at  home.  In  my  breast 
pocket  I  carried  a  warrant  in  due  form  for  the  arrest  of 
Cyrus  Vetch. 

There  was  a  great  surprise  awaiting  me  at  Shrewsbury. 
I  asked  the  little  maid  who  answered  my  knock  at  Mr. 
Vetch's  door  for  Mistress  Pennyquick,  and  felt  some  as- 
tonishment that  the  door  had  not  been  opened  by  the 
good  dame  herself,  for  she  had  no  maid  when  I  left  her, 
doing  all  the  housework  herself.  The  girl  stared  at  me. 

"Is  Mistress  Pennyquick  within  ?"  I  repeated. 

"No,  sir:  but  would  you  like  to  see  Mistress  Vetch?" 

I  was  minded  to  refuse,  and  thought  of  going  on  to 
Mr.  Vetch's  offices  where  I  knew  I  should  find  him  at 
this  time  of  day.  I  felt  a  certain  annoyance  at  Mr.  Vetch 
marrying  ('twas  unreasonable,  I  admit),  and  wondered 
whether  poor  old  Becky  had  been  dismissed,  or  was  dead. 
But  while  I  stood  hesitating,  I  heard  the  well-remembered 
voice  from  the  interior  of  the  house — 

"Tell  the  man  the  coffee  is  not  fit  to  drink,  and  if  I 
have  any  more  of  it  I'll  say  good-by  to  Mr.  Huggins 
and  see  if  Mr.  Martin  can  serve  me  better." 

"What,  Becky !"  I  cried ;  "d'you  think  I'm  a  grocer's 
boy  after  all?" 

There  was  a  scream,  and  my  old  friend  came  flying  to- 
wards me,  her  cap  (with  lilac  trimmings)  shaken  askew 
by  her  haste. 

"Oh,  my  boy !"  she  cried,  flinging  her  arms  about  me. 
"Drat  the  girl !  How  many  times  have  I  told  you  to  ask 
visitors  into  the  parlor !  Oh,  my  dear,  precious  boy !" 

"  'Tis  not  her  fault,"  I  said,  giving  the  good  creature 
an  answering  hug ;  "I  asked  for  Mistress  Pennyquick." 


222  HUMPHREY   BOLD 

"Which  my  name  is  Vetch,  and  has  been  for  six  months 
come  Saturday.  He  would  have  it  so,  though  I  told 
him  Vetch  wasn't  a  name  to  my  taste.  But  there !  What 
was  a  poor  lone  widow  to  do?  A  lawyer  have  got  such 
a  tongue !" 

"You  look  ten  years  younger,  Becky,"  I  said. 

"I  feel  it,  Humphrey,"  she  said  solemnly,  and  then  bade 
the  maid  set  wine  and  biscuits  in  the  parlor,  and  never 
to  forget  to  ask  a  gentleman  in  instead  of  keeping  him  at 
the  door,  gaping  like  a  ninny ! 

Of  course  I  had  to  tell  my  story  to  her,  and  again  to 
Mr.  Vetch  when  he  came  home  to  dinner.  The  lawyer 
looked  much  the  same  as  when  I  left  him,  save  that  he  was 
certainly  neater  in  his  dress.  He  was  delighted  to  see  me, 
and  when  he  heard  of  the  good  fortune  that  had  befallen 
me  in  gaining  the  interest  of  Mr.  Benbow  he  declared 
that  I  had  taken  a  load  off  his  mind,  for  he  had  always 
been  oppressed  with  the  fear  that  the  loss  of  the  will  had 
ruined  me.  His  business,  I  was  glad  to  hear,  was  a  trifle 
better  than  when  I  was  with  him,  though  it  would  never 
be  what  it  had  been. 

"Fiddlesticks!"  said  his  wife.  "You  have  no  spirit, 
Mr.  Vetch,  and  what  you  would  be  if  I  didn't  keep  you 
up,  the  Lord  alone  knows." 

I  will  not  dwell  on  my  visit  to  Captain  Galsworthy. 
He  was  looking  older,  I  thought :  but  after  I  had  told  him 
my  adventures,  nothing  would  satisfy  him  but  that  we 
should  have  a  bout  with  the  foils.  I  was  careful  to  let 
the  good  old  man  get  the  better  of  me,  and  when  we  had 
finished  he  shook  his  head  and  declared  that  my  skill  had 
declined. 

"But  we'll  get  it  back,  we'll  get  it  back,"  he  said.  "You 
must  come  to  me  for  half  an  hour  every  day,  and  we'll 
soon  rub  off  the  rust." 


THE   KING'S    COMMISSION  223 

He  told  me  of  the  six  months'  lessons  he  had  given 
Roger  Allardyce,  and  foretold  a  creditable  career  for 
that  young  soldier,  not  so  much  for  any  sign  of  military 
aptitude  in  him  (though  the  captain  owned  he  had  the 
making  of  a  good  swordsman)  as  because  he  had  dog- 
gedly refused  to  say  anything  about  me.  He  knew,  I 
suppose,  that  I  should  not  wish  the  tale  of  my  mischances 
to  be  told  by  any  lips  but  my  own,  and  could  not  have 
pleased  the  captain  more  than  by  declining  to  answer 
his  questions.  I  never  knew  a  man  nicer  than  Captain 
Galsworthy  on  the  point  of  honor. 

I  remained  about  a  month  in  Shrewsbury,  seeing  old 
friends,  among  them  Nelly  Hind  and  Mistress  Punchard, 
whom  I  rejoiced  with  news  of  their  brother  and  son, 
and  paying  many  visits  to  my  newer  friends  at  the  Hall. 
I  was  able  to  assure  Mr.  Allardyce  that  the  procedure  of 
his  lawyer  had  the  full  approval  of  Mr.  Vetch,  who  was 
careful  to  say,  when  giving  his  opinion,  that  it  was  given 
in  a  private  capacity  and  without  prejudice  to  his  brother 
in  the  profession.  , 

One  day  I  received  through  the  post  a  letter  with  a 
great  red  seal.  I  tore  it  open  eagerly,  and  could  scarcely 
believe  in  my  good  fortune  when  I  saw  it  was  nothing 
less  than  a  lieutenant's  commission  in  the  King's  navy, 
accompanied  by  an  order  to  join  my  ship  the  Falmouth, 
Captain  Samuel  Vincent,  at  Portsmouth,  as  soon  as 
might  be.  I  had  not  expected  to  be  rated  higher  than  a 
midshipman,  though  when  I  had  mentioned  that  to  Mis- 
tress Vetch,  she  tossed  her  head  and  declared  she  had 
looked  for  nothing  else. 

"Midshipmen,  as  I  have  heard  tell,"  she  said,  "are  but 
little  boys  fresh  from  their  nurses'  apron  strings,  and  the 
King  had  the  good  sense  to  know  that  you  are  too  tall 
for  any  such  childishness." 


224  HUMPHREY   BOLD 

"I  don't  suppose  the  King  knows  anything  about  me," 
I  said  laughing. 

"That  I  will  never  believe;  the  King  knows  every- 
thing," said  the  simple  creature. 

You  may  be  sure  I  rode  off  at  once  with  my  great  news 
to  the  Hall,  and  received  very  hearty  congratulations 
there.  But  I  could  see  that  Mr.  Allardyce  was  in  some 
perturbation  of  mind,  and  by  and  by  he  took  me  aside 
and  said : 

"That  weasel-faced  rascal  you  spoke  of  was  seen  about 
here  yesterday,  Humphrey.  One  of  my  men  told  me  that 
he  saw  such  a  man  as  you  described  in  close  talk  with  a 
low  innkeeper  in  Morville.  I  have  not  acquainted  the 
ladies ;  'tis  no  use  alarming  them ;  but  I  don't  like  it,  my 
boy." 

This  was  a  mighty  disconcerting  piece  of  news,  espe- 
cially now  that  I  was  on  the  point  of  going  away  for  I 
knew  not  how  long.  While  I  remained  within  close  call 
I  flattered  myself  on  being  an  efficient  protector  of  Mis- 
tress Lucy,  and  I  had  that  warrant  always  in  my  pocket 
to  use  against  Cyrus  Vetch  if  ever  I  set  eyes  on  him. 
And  now  I  would  willingly  have  resigned  my  commission, 
dearly  as  I  prized  it,  if  I  could  have  found  any  reasonable 
ground  for  remaining  to  defend  her  still.  But  I  knew 
'twas  impossible,  if  for  no  other  reason,  because  I  was 
little  more  than  a  pauper,  having  indeed  only  enough  of 
my  twenty  pounds  left  to  carry  me  to  Portsmouth.  So  I 
could  only  fume  inwardly,  and  long  that  war  might  break 
out  again,  and  that  I  might  capture  many  of  the  enemy's 
vessels,  and  win  heaps  of  money  and  early  promotion  to 
the  rank  of  post-captain,  and  return  with  my  laurels  thick 
upon  me  to  lay  all  at  Lucy's  feet.  You  may  smile  at  such 
ambitions  in  a  youngster ;  but  can  you  truly  say  you  have 
not  dreamed  such  dreams  yourself? 


THE   KING'S    COMMISSION  225 

'Twas  with  a  full  heart  I  set  off  in  the  dusk  of  evening 
to  ride  back  to  Shrewsbury.  I  rode  slowly,  my  mind  be- 
ing filled  with  forebodings,  and  I  was  only  roused  from 
my  preoccupation  by  the  sudden  appearance  of  a  horse- 
man at  the  turning  of  a  by-road  leading  from  Bridge- 
north.  He  was  riding  rapidly,  and  we  both  reined  up  at 
the  same  moment  to  avoid  a  collision.  And  at  that  mo- 
ment my  heart  leapt  with  furious  exultation  as,  in  the 
fading  light,  I  recognized  my  old  enemy,  and  my 
friends',  Cyrus  Vetch. 

"Hold,  you  villain!"  I  cried,  pulling  my  horse  against 
his  and  drawing  my  sword.  "I  have  you  now,  and  you 
will  come  into  Shrewsbury  with  me." 

Fear  struggled  with  anger  in  his  face.  He  was  in  no 
mind  to  show  himself  in  Shrewsbury,  where  there  was 
that  matter  of  his  uncle's  cash-box  to  answer  for,  to  say 
nothing  of  a  matter  more  nearly  concerning  me.  But 
he  could  not  pass  me,  and  seeing  that  there  was  no  other 
way  out  of  it  he  whips  out  his  sword  and  deals  a  savage 
cut  at  me.  I  easily  parried  the  stroke,  and  not  being  dis- 
posed to  spare  him,  I  ran  my  own  weapon  under  his 
guard  (he  having  no  skill  in  sword  play),  and  through 
the  fleshy  part  of  his  right  arm,  so  that  he  cried  out  with 
the  pain,  his  sword  dropping  to  the  ground. 

"Now,  sirrah,"  says  I,  "you  will  ride  before  me  into 
Shrewsbury,  to  which  you  have  been  overlong  a  stran- 
ger." 

"I  will  not,"  he  cries,  with  a  scream  of  rage.  "'Who 
are  you  to  order  my  goings  ?" 

"No  matter  as  to  that:  we  will  see  where  the  right 
lies  when  we  get  to  the  town.  And  since  I  have  no  wish 
to  cheat  the  hangman,  I  will  tie  my  kerchief  round  your 
arm." 

He  raged  and  swore  at  me  as  I  made  the  bandage,  but 


226  HUMPHREY   BOLD 

was  helpless,  and  soon  I  had  him  riding  at  a  foot  pace  in 
front  of  me,  he  knowing  very  well  that  he  could  not  es- 
cape, wounded  as  he  was,  without  risk  of  being  thrown 
from  his  horse. 

I  had  a  comfortable  sense  of  satisfaction  as  I  rode 
behind  him,  my  eyes  fixed  on  his  back.  He  had  much  to 
answer  for,  and  any  one  of  his  crimes  would  send  him 
to  the  plantations.  Then  I  remembered  that  he  was 
Lawyer  Vetch's  nephew,  and  thought  of  the  good  old 
man's  grief  when  he  should  see  his  flesh  and  blood  in  the 
felon's  dock.  And  the  idea  came  to  me  that  by  merely 
holding  over  him  the  threat  of  punishment  for  his  un- 
doubted villainies  we  might  draw  from  him  a  confession 
of  what  we  only  suspected — his  theft  of  my  father's  will. 
I  did  not  reflect  for  the  moment  that  Mr.  Allardyce  would 
have  something  to  say  in  that  matter,  and  already  saw 
myself  reinstated  in  my  father's  property  (though  I 
meant  to  cleave  to  my  new  profession),  when  suddenly  I 
noticed  that  Vetch  was  swaying  in  the  saddle.  Thinking 
him  overcome  with  faintness  from  his  wound,  I  cantered 
up  to  assist  him,  but  just  as  I  reached  him  he  suddenly 
pulled  his  horse  across  the  road,  and  I  saw  a  pistol  in  his 
left  hand.  While  I  was  ruminating  he  had  quickly  un- 
buttoned the  holsters,  which  I  had  stupidly  neglected  to 
examine.  Immediately  I  wrenched  my  horse  aside.  The 
sudden  pull  caused  it  to  rear,  and  the  poor  beast  received 
the  shot  intended  for  me,  and  fell  to  the  ground.  I  was 
up  in  an  instant,  but  Vetch  was  already  galloping  madly 
away,  leaving  me  by  the  side  of  Mr.  Allardyce's  dying 
horse. 

To  pursue  the  fellow  afoot  would  be  but  a  fool's  er- 
rand. The  spot  at  which  this  mischance  happened  being 
about  a  mile  from  Oldbury,  my  best  plan  seemed  to  be  to 
ride  thither  and  hire  a  horse  at  the  inn  and  then  ride  back 


I  saw  a  pistol  in  his  left  hand.      Page  2 


THE   KING'S   COMMISSION  227 

to  trie  Hall  and  acquaint  Mr.  Allardyce  with  what  had 
befallen  me.  This  I  did,  and  found  my  friend  much  less 
vexed  at  the  loss  of  his  horse  (though  'twas  a  noble  ani- 
mal) than  at  the  escape  of  Vetch.  He  sent  off  a  man  at 
once  to  Bridgenorth  to  ask  his  lawyer  to  raise  a  hue  and 
cry  after  the  fugitive,  and  I  promised  to  take  like  meas- 
ures in  Shrewsbury.  I  spoke  of  it  to  the  town  authori- 
ties and  to  Captain  Galsworthy,  and  since  I  was  leaving 
on  the  morrow,  he  agreed  to  enlist  some  of  his  old  pupils 
in  the  business,  who  would  ride  here  and  there  about  the 
neighborhood  and  try  to  track  Vetch  down.  And  thus, 
having  done  all  I  could,  I  set  off  next  day  once  more  for 
Bristowe,  to  take  ship  for  Portsmouth. 


CHAPTER  XXI 

I  MEET  DICK  CLUDDE 

Captain  Samuel  Vincent  gave  me  a  reception  warm 
indeed,  but  not  in  the  way  of  kindness.  After  making 
me  repeat  my  name,  he  asked  me  under  what  captain  I 
had  served  as  a  midshipman,  and  when  I  said  that  I  had 
never  been  a  midshipman,  and  was  proceeding  to  explain 
the  manner  of  my  appointment  he  cut  me  short. 

"Not  a  midshipman!"  he  cried,  running  together  all 
three  syllables  of  the  word.  "You  bin  to  school,  I 
s'pose?" 

"Yes,  indeed,"  I  said,  "at  Shrewsbury." 

"Now  hark  to  me,"  he  cries,  again  interrupting  me. 
"I  never  went  to  no  school,  and  I  hain't  got  no  philoso- 
phies nor  any  other  useless  cargoes  in  my  hold,  nor  Mr. 
Benbow  neither ;  and  if  ever  you  say  a  word  against  Mr. 
Benbow  you'll  wish  you  wasn't  Humphrey,  nor  Bold, 
'cos  you'll  wish  as  how  you'd  never  bin  born.  I  bid  you 
good  mornin'." 

I  left  him,  in  a  fine  heat  of  resentment,  thinking  that  a 
few  years  at  Shrewsbury  school  might  have  improved 
both  his  language  and  his  manners.  But  when  I  came 
to  know  him  better,  and  to  understand  the  motive  of  his 
rough  address  to  me,  I  forgave  the  bluff  seaman  heartily. 
He  was  a  keen  partisan  in  the  feud  that  then  divided  the 
navy,  the  one  faction  being  for  Benbow,  the  other  against 
him ;  and  being  ignorant  of  my  antecedents,  he  supposed 
from  my  not  having  been  a  midshipman  that  I  was  one 

228 


I    MEET   DICK   CLUDDE  229 

of  the  fine  gentlemen  who  were  foisted  on  the  King's 
service  by  their  high  connections  and  despised  plain  sea- 
men of  the  Benbow  school.  I  might  have  undeceived 
him  very  soon  had  I  so  pleased,  but  I  thought  it  best  to 
win  his  approval  by  the  manner  in  which  I  performed  my 
duties  leaving  the  other  matter  to  time.  As  it  happened, 
my  fidelity  to  Mr.  Benbow  was  shown  very  clearly  before 
long. 

'Twould  be  a  dull  story  to  relate  the  trivial  incidents 
of  my  first  year  of  service  in  the  navy.  I  spent  five 
months  at  sea,  and  seven  on  shore,  and  Captain  Vincent 
being  a  martinet,  I  had  to  work  hard  for  my  pay  of  four 
shillings  a  day  (on  shore  it  was  cut  down  to  two  shill- 
ings). My  diligence  in  studying  navigation  pleased  him; 
and  when  a  little  affair  in  which  I  had  been  concerned 
came  to  his  ears,  he  took  me,  in  a  sense,  to  his  heart. 

I  had  gone  one  day  with  Lieutenant  Venables,  of  our 
ship,  into  a  coffee  house  in  Portsmouth,  whither  the  of- 
ficers of  the  fleet  much  resorted.  The  first  man  I  set 
eyes  on  was  Dick  Cludde,  who  was,  as  I  learned  after- 
wards, a  lieutenant  of  the  Defiance,  which'  had  lately 
come  into  port.  With  him  was  his  captain  ('twas  the 
Captain  Kirkby  I  had  seen  in  the  inn  at  Harley),  also 
Captain  Cooper  Wade,  of  the  Greenwich,  Captain  Hud- 
son of  the  Pendennis,  and  a  number  of  junior  officers. 
Cludde  greeted  me  with  a  puzzled  stare;  'twas  clear  he 
had  not  heard  of  the  change  in  my  fortunes,  and  maybe 
believed  me  to  be  still  scouring  the  cook's  slush  pans 
aboard  the  Dolphin  privateer.  I  saw  him  turn  to  Lieuten- 
ant Simpson,  of  the  Pendennis,  who  knew  me,  and 
guessed  by  the  quick  glance  Simpson  gave  me  that 
Cludde  had  asked  him  concerning  my  appearance  there. 

Venables  and  I  sat  down  to  our  coffee,  and  'twas  not 
long  before  we  knew,  by  the  loud  voices  of  the  others, 


230  HUMPHREY   BOLD 

that  they  had  laced  theirs  witH  rum,  or  maybe  were  pretty 
well  filled  with  wine  to  begin  with.  And,  as  it  always 
happened  when  officers  of  the  fleet  met  together,  they 
were  soon  hot  upon  the  subject  of  Mr.  Benbow,  his 
rough  manners,  his  rustic  speech,  and  his  outrageous  lack 
of  respect  for  his  betters.  After  a  little  of  this  talk  Ven- 
ables  says  to  me : 

"Come,  Bold,  we  are  better  away  from  this." 

"You  are  right,"  says  I,  and  we  both  rose  and  put  on 
our  hats.  Cludde  saw  the  action,  and,  taking  courage 
I  suppose  from  the  presence  of  his  boon  fellows,  he  said, 
in  a  tone  loud  enough  to  reach  my  ears : 

"That's  one  of  his  doings.  Simpson  tells  me  that  that 
fellow  is  a  lieutenant  on  the  Falmouth,  through  Ben- 
bow's  interest ;  he  comes  from  my  town  Shrewsbury,  and 
a  year  or  two  ago  was  a  charity  brat,  with  scarce  a  coat 
to  his  back." 

At  this  I  swung  round  and  took  a  pace  or  two  towards 
the  table  where  Cludde  was  seated.  Though  I  had  much 
ado  to  curb  my  anger,  I  said  quietly : 

"If  that  is  true,  Cludde,  you  know  who  is  the  cause 
of  it." 

"I  did  not  speak  to  you,  sirrah,"  says  he. 

"But  I  speak  to  you,"  I  said.  "You  may  say  what 
you  please  about  me ;  I  will  settle  my  account  with  you  in 
good  time;  but  I  advise  you  not  to  say  too  much  about 
Mr.  Benbow,  who  is  not  here  to  answer  for  himself." 

"Oho,  you  sneak  out  of  it  that  way,  do  you  ?"  says  he. 
"I'll  say  what  I  please  about  Mr.  Benbow  without  asking 
leave  of  you  or  any  man.  Benbow  is  a  low-born  scut — 
can  you  deny  it?  Wasn't  his  father  a  tanner,  and  don't 
his  sister  keep  a  coffee-shop?" 

"And  what  then?" 

"What  then?    Why,  this:  that  he  ain't  fit  to  be  in  the 


I    MEET   DICK   CLUDDE  231 

company  of  gentlemen,"  and  then  he  told  a  foul  story 
of  Benbow  which  angered  me  past  all  endurance.  I 
strode  up  to  him,  and  before  I  could  be  prevented  I 
planted  my  fist  in  his  face  with  such  force  that  he  toppled 
backwards  over  his  chair  and  came  to  the  floor. 

"Now  you  can  swallow  that  lie,"  I  cried,  standing  with 
clenched  fists  over  him. 

I  was  now  in  the  midst  of  a  great  hubbub ;  the  officers 
had  started  from  their  chairs,  shouting  and  cursing,  some 
of  them  helping  Cludde  to  his  feet. 

"You  will  answer  for  this,  sir,"  says  Captain  Kirkby. 

"With  all  my  heart,"  I  said.  "Mr.  Venables  will  meet 
Mr.  Cludde's  man  and  make  the  arrangements." 

And  with  that  I  went  from  the  house. 

I  ever  regarded  dueling  as  a  barbarous  and  foolish 
way  of  settling  a  quarrel.  If  men  must  fight,  let  them 
use  their  fists,  and  so  be  quit  of  it  for  a  bloody  nose  and 
a  few  bruises.  But  I  could  not  avoid  the  duel  with 
Cludde  without  suffering  the  imputation  of  cowardice, 
and  when  Venables  came  after  me  and  said  that  he  had 
arranged  with  Simpson  that  we  should  meet  next  morn- 
ing at  daybreak  on  the  Southsea  Common  and  settle  the 
matter  with  rapiers,  I  was  quite  content.  'Tis  true  that 
ere  the  day  was  over  I  regretted  in  cool  blood  that  things 
had  come  to  this  pass ;  but  I  could  not  think  I  was  in  the 
wrong,  and  believing  myself  more  than  a  match  for 
Cludde  in  swordsmanship  I  resolved  to  disarm  him 
quickly,  when  his  friends  would  no  doubt  declare  him 
satisfied. 

In  the  chill  of  dawn  we  met  within  sound  of  the  surf, 
and  having  stripped  to  our  shirts,  faced  each  other  with 
the  length  of  our  two  swords  between.  Cludde  was  three 
or  four  inches  shorter  than  I,  but  well  made  and  muscu- 
lar, and  in  mere  strength  I  daresay  there  was  little  to 


232  HUMPHREY   BOLD 

choose  between  us.  But  after  a  pass  or  two  I  knew  (and 
the  knowledge  surprised  me  not  a  little),  that  I  had  no 
mean  swordsman  to  deal  with.  His  riposte  came  quick 
upon  my  lungs;  he  had  a  very  agile  wrist;  'twas  clear 
he  had  had  much  practice  in  a  good  school;  and  being 
determined  not  to  do  him  a  serious  injury  I  put  myself 
at  some  disadvantage  and  had  much  ado  to  avoid  his 
point.  He  was  beset  by  no  such  scruples,  I  could  see, 
and  would  willingly  have  taken  my  life,  which  made  my 
task  all  the  harder. 

Finding  him  thus  proficient  in  all  the  ordinary  tricks 
of  sword  play,  I  saw  myself  in  a  difficulty.  I  had  no 
doubt  that  I  could  bring  things  to  a  speedy  end  by  em- 
ploying the  special  botte  which  Captain  Galsworthy  had 
taught  me ;  and  if  we  had  been  fencing  for  sport  I  should 
already  have  used  it  to  disarm  my  adversary.  But  fight- 
ing as  we  were  (at  least,  as  he  was)  in  deadly  earnest, 
I  could  not  be  sure  that  my  botte  would  not  be  too  suc- 
cessful, and  that,  instead  of  merely  striking  his  sword 
from  his  hand,  I  should  not  run  him  through.  The  cau- 
tion I  displayed  was  mistaken  by  him  (and  by  his  friends 
also,  I  suspect)  for  weakness,  and  gaining  courage  there- 
from, he  pressed  me  so  hard  that,  unless  I  had  gone  in- 
stantly to  the  extremity  I  wished  to  avoid,  I  could  not 
have  parried  the  thrust  which  pinked  me  in  the  shoulder. 

"He  is  hit !"  cried  Venables,  running  between  us.  "You 
are  now  satisfied,  Mr.  Cludde?" 

"If  Mr.  Bold  will  apologize,"  says  Simpson,  after  a 
glance  at  his  principal. 

"I  am  ready  when  Mr.  Qudde  is,"  I  said  bluntly. 
Certainly  I  would  not  apologize ;  besides,  I  was  annoyed 
to  think  that,  through  my  own  forbearance,  the  fellow 
had  drawn  blood  (though  'twas  but  a  scratch).  And  so 
we  set-to  again. 


I    MEET   DICK   CLUDDE  233 

This  time  I  no  longer  pursued  the  same  purely  de- 
fensive tactics,  and  before  many  passes  had  been  ex- 
changed I  saw  an  opening  for  my  botte,  took  instant  ad- 
vantage of  it,  and  sent  his  sword  spinning  from  his  hand. 
Cludde  was  too  good  a  swordsman  to  be  ignorant  that 
I  had  purposely  spared  him,  and  I  saw  by  the  look  in  his 
eyes  that  he  knew  it  and  would  fight  no  more. 

"Mr.  Cludde  is  now  satisfied,  I  presume?"  said  Ven- 
ables,  at  a  look  from  me. 

The  contest  was  of  course  over.  At  that  moment  I 
own  I  felt  tempted  to  take  Cludde's  crown-piece  from 
the  string  whereon  it  hung  about  my  neck,  and  return 
it  to  him;  but  as  a  second  thought  showed  me  that  to 
do  so  would  be  in  a  manner  to  heap  humiliation  on  a 
beaten  enemy,  I  forbore,  conscious  at  the  same  time  of 
an  inward  assurance  that  I  should  yet  find  a  fitting  time 
for  that  act  of  restoration. 

The  duel  was  much  talked  of  among  the  officers  of  the 
fleet,  and  when  Captain  Vincent  heard  of  it  he,  as  I  have 
said,  took  me  to  his  heart.  By  it  I  was  sealed  of  the 
tribe  of  Benbow,  and  became,  in  my  worthy  captain's 
eyes,  one  of  the  elect. 

In  October  of  the  year  1698  we  were  stirred  to  excite- 
ment by  the  news  that  Mr.  Benbow  had  been  ordered  to 
take  a  squadron  to  the  West  Indies,  and  there  was  much 
eager  speculation  among  us  as  to  the  vessels  which  would 
have  the  good  fortune  to  sail  with  him.  I  hoped  with  all 
my  heart  that  the  Falmouth  would  be  one  of  them,  for 
I  was  weary  of  the  humdrum  life  of  idling  on  shore  or 
aimless  sailing  up  and  down  the  channel.  The  admiral's 
was  a  peaceful  mission,  and  no  fighting  was  expected, 
but  I  felt  a  great  curiosity  to  behold  new  scenes.  To  my 
vast  delight,  when  the  admiral  came  down  from  London, 
Captain  Vincent  told  me  that  the  Falmouth  was  to  be 


234  HUMPHREY   BOLD 

one  of  a  squadron  of  four,  the  others  being  the  Glouces- 
ter, the  Dunkirk  (both  fourth-rates  of  forty-eight  guns), 
and  a  small  French  prize  called  the  Germoon. 

We  set  sail  on  the  2Qth  of  November,  touched  at  Ma- 
deira to  take  in  wine  and  other  stores  in  which  that  boun- 
teous isle  is  prolific,  and  after  a  tranquil  voyage  reached 
Barbados  on  the  27th  of  February.  We  proceeded  to 
Mevis  and  the  Leeward  Islands,  and  steering  our  course 
thence  to  the  continent,  made  the  highland  of  St.  Martha, 
and  so  to  Cartagena,  where  we  obliged  the  governor  to 
deliver  up  two  or  three  English  merchant  ships  which 
they  had  seized  at  the  time  of  the  hapless  Scotch  settle- 
ment at  Darien.  Thence  we  stood  away  for  Jamaica. 
Joe  Punchard  (who  was  on  board  the  Gloucester,  having 
returned  to  his  old  vocation  of  body-servant  to  Mr.  Ben- 
bow)  had  prepared  me,  in  a  measure,  before  we  left 
Portsmouth,  for  the  wondrous  beauty  of  these  western 
isles,  but  I  might  say,  as  the  Queen  of  Sheba  said  of  the 
glory  and  grandeur  of  King  Solomon,  that  ''the  half  had 
not  been  told."  I  was  struck  dumb  with  admiration  as 
we  threaded  our  way  through  a  narrow  channel  between 
irregular  reefs  lying  off  the  harbor  of  Port  Royal.  The 
spacious  harbor  itself  was  a  noble  sight,  but  the  back- 
ground was  even  more  picturesque — the  light,  two-storied 
**  houses  with  their  piazzas  painted  green  and  white,  the 
•varying  hues  of  the  gardens,  filled  with  palms  and  cocoa- 
nut  trees,  and  the  lofty  minarets  of  the  Blue  Moun- 
tains, towering  to  a  great  height  behind.  Such  scenes 
were  a  new  thing  to  my  untraveled  eyes,  they  were  in 
very  truth  the  revelation  of  a  new  world  to  me. 

Our  arrival  was  the  occasion  of  great  festivity ;  all  the 
inhabitants  of  Spanish  Town,  the  capital,  from  the  gov- 
ernor downward,  were  lavish  in  their  hospitality ;  and  for 
some  days  it  was  one  round  of  balls  and  banquets,  to 


I   MEET  DICK  CLUDDE  235 

which  we  came  with  unjaded  appetites  and  vigor  after 
our  long  voyage.  And  I  warrant  you  that  the  officers 
of  Collingwood's  regiment  then  in  garrison  were  soon 
mighty  jealous,  for  the  ladies  of  the  place,  English  and 
Creole  alike,  preferred  us  naval  men  to  them  as  partners. 
I  confess  I  nearly  lost  my  heart  a  dozen  times,  and  the 
thirteenth  might  have  been  fatal,  only  it  chanced 
that  her  name  being  Lucetta  reminded  me  of  a  certain 
Mistress  Lucy  at  home  in  England,  whom  the  others 
had,  so  to  speak,  elbowed  out  of  my  recollection.  My 
wandering  fancy  being  thus  recalled  to  her,  I  remembered 
that  her  estates  were  in  Jamaica,  and  she  had  lived  here 
during  all  her  childhood,  and  then  I  was  for  seeking  out 
the  house,  and  assuring  myself  that  her  interests  were 
being  well  guarded.  But  I  learned  that  her  estates  lay  on 
the  north  side  of  the  island,  two  good  days'  journey  dis- 
tant. They  were  being  managed  by  a  careful  Scotchman 
named  McTavish,  who  sent  large  and  regular  consign- 
ments of  sugar  and  tobacco  to  the  port  for  shipment  to 
England.  I  would  have  gone  a  thousand  miles  to  see 
Mistress  Lucy,  but  had  no  interest  in  the  excellent  Mc- 
Tavish, and  so  I  remained  in  Spanish  Town. 

After  a  week  or  two  of  high  revelry,  the  admiral,  yield- 
ing to  the  entreaties  of  the  governor  and  merchants, 
sailed  to  Puerto-Bello  to  demand  satisfaction  of  the 
Spaniards  for  several  depredations  which  they  had  com- 
mitted on  their  ships,  goods,  and  men.  We  had  but  a 
rough  answer  from  the  admiral  of  the  Barlovento  fleet, 
he  alleging  that  whatever  the  Spaniards  had  done  had 
merely  been  in  reprisal  for  similar  doings  of  the  Scotch 
settlers  on  Darien,  and  he  could  not  be  persuaded  that 
the  Scotch  and  English  were  two  separate  nations,  and  as 
often  (in  those  times)  enemies  as  friends.  But  after  sev- 
eral messages  he  assured  us  at  length  that  if  we  would 


HUMPHREY   BOLD' 


retire  from  before  the  fort,  our  demands  should  be  satis- 
fied. This  was  an  instance  of  the  notorious  perfidy  of 
the  Spaniards,  for  after  our  departure,  notwithstanding 
their  solemn  promises,  nothing  was  effected. 

We  returned  to  Port  Royal  the  I5th  of  May,  where, 
having  intelligence  that  the  insolent  pirate  Captain  Kidd 
was  hovering  on  the  coast,  Mr.  Benbow  went  in  quest  of 
him,  unluckily  without  success.  After  that  we  spent  sev- 
eral months  in  cruising  among  the  West  Indian  islands, 
and  receiving  then  orders  to  return  home,  Mr.  Benbow, 
leaving  the  Germoon  for  the  service  of  the  governor  of 
Jamaica,  set  sail  for  New  England,  our  squadron  being 
increased  by  three  other  king's  ships  which  happened  to 
be  then  in  Port  Royal  harbor.  When  we  had  made 
Havana,  the  admiral,  thinking  the  Falmouth  too  weak  to 
be  trusted  in  the  dangerous  seas  about  the  New  England 
coast,  ordered  Captain  Vincent  to  return  in  her  to  Eng- 
land, and  we  sailed  into  Portsmouth  harbor  towards  the 
end  of  August,  two  years,  all  but  three  months,  since  our 
departure.  I  stayed  there  but  long  enough  to  replenish 
my  wardrobe  and  to  draw  my  prize  money,  which,  added 
to  what  I  had  left  of  my  pay,  amounted  to  the  respectable 
sum  of  four  hundred  pounds,  and  then,  having  leave  from 
my  captain,  I  set  off  once  more  for  Shrewsbury. 

As  before,  I  broke  my  journey  at  the  Hall,  to  see  my 
good  friends  the  Allardyces,  and  especially  to  give  to 
Mistress  Lucy  some  kind  messages  entrusted  to  me  by 
old  friends  of  hers  in  Jamaica. 

They  were  rejoiced  to  see  me  ;  Mistress  Lucy  was 
greatly  interested  to  learn  that  I  had  but  lately  come 
from  scenes  she  knew  so  well,  and  we  talked  for  a  long 
time  about  friends  and  acquaintances  of  hers  whom  I  had 
met.  And  when  I  was  alone  with  Mr.  Allardyce  I  did 
not  fail  to  inquire  how  things  stood  in  the  matter  of  her 


I    MEET   DICK   CLUDDE  237 

guardianship.  He  told  me  that  no  more  had  been  seen 
of  Vetch,  and  indeed  the  espionage  upon  the  house  had 
ceased,  Sir  Richard  being  resolved  apparently  to  abide 
the  issue  of  the  action  at  law.  The  bill  in  chancery  had 
been  filed ;  answers  had  been  put  in  by  Mr.  Moggridge 
on  behalf  of  Sir  Richard ;  and  Mr.  Allardyce  hoped  that 
the  proceedings  might  drag  along  for  a  couple  of  years, 
when  Mistress  Lucy  would  be  of  age  and  her  own  mis- 
tress. And  so  'twas  with  a  light  heart  that  I  went  on  to 
Shrewsbury,  to  tickle  the  ears  of  my  old  friends  there 
with  the  tale  of  my  wanderings. 


CHAPTER  XXII 

I  WALK  INTO  A  SNARE 

Cruising  on  shore  is  a  flat  and  sorry  business  to  a  man 
who  has  obeyed  the  call  of  the  sea,  and  I  was  glad  enough 
when,  soon  after  Christmas,  I  was  summoned  to  rejoin 
my  ship.  There  were  already  whispers  that  war  was  like 
to  break  out  again  ere  long  between  England  and  France, 
owing  to  the  machinations  of  King  Lewis,  who  had  pro- 
cured from  the  king  of  Spain  on  his  death-bed  a  will  ap- 
pointing the  Duke  of  Anjou  to  succeed  him.  'Twas  not 
to  be  expected  that  our  good  King  William,  having  striven 
all  his  life  to  prevent  Europe  from  being  swallowed  up 
by  King  Lewis,'  would  tamely  submit  to  see  a  great  king- 
dom like  that  of  Spain  disappear  into  that  ravenous  maw ; 
and  when  the  new  parliament  met  in  February,  1701,  it 
was  significant  that  their  first  resolution  was  "to  support 
His  Majesty  and  take  such  effectual  measures  as  may 
best  conduce  to  the  interest  and  safety  of  England." 
There  was  a  widespread  suspicion  that  the  French  pro- 
posed to  invade  our  shores  from  Dunkirk,  and  Admiral 
Benbow,  who  was  then  commanding  in  The  Downs,  was 
ordered  to  use  his  utmost  diligence  to  frustrate  any  such 
design. 

In  common  with  every  officer  in  the  fleet  I  hoped  that 
the  French  would  take  the  sea,  so  that  we  might  have 
the  pleasure  of  thrashing  them.  But  in  this  we  were  dis- 
appointed: I  suppose  they  were  deterred  by  the  knowl- 

238 


I   WALK   INTO   A   SNARE  239 

edge  that  the  channel  was  swarming  with  our  ships ;  for, 
besides  Admiral  Benbow  off  Dunkirk,  there  was  Sir 
George  Rooke  in  The  Downs,  and  Sir  Cloudesley  with 
six  and  forty  vessels  at  Spithead.  Whatever  be  the  rea- 
son, we  saw  nothing  to  alarm  us ;  and  toward  the  middle 
of  August  Admiral  Benbow  was  ordered  to  proceed  once 
more  to  the  West  Indian  station,  with  two  third-rates 
and  eight  fourth-rates.  The  French  and  Spanish  both 
had  large  fleets  in  the  Indies,  and  'twas  to  secure  our 
possessions  against  attacks  in  case  war  should  be  de- 
clared, that  Admiral  Benbow  was  sent  out  again. 

Since  it  was  not  expected  that  we  should  set  sail  for 
several  weeks,  I  obtained  leave  from  my  captain  to  go  to 
Shrewsbury  and  take  farewell  of  my  friends.  With  war 
imminent,  and  the  possibility  that  I  might  never  return, 
I  should  not  have  been  happy  without  seeing  them  once 
again  and  leaving  with  their  blessing.  You  may  be  sure 
I  took  the  Hall  in  my  way,  for  having  been  almost  wholly 
at  sea  since  my  last  visit,  I  had  not  heard  anything  from 
the  family,  and  I  was  anxious  to  know  whether  the  chan- 
cery case  had  yet  been  settled.  Mr.  Allardyce  was  not 
at  home  when  I  rode  up  to  the  door ;  but  I  was  taken  to 
Mistress  Allardyce,  who  astonished  me  beyond  measure 
by  bursting  into  tears  when  she  saw  me. 

"Good  heavens,  ma'am!"  I  cried,  imagining  all  kinds 
of  ill,  "what  is  amiss?" 

"Oh,  Mr.  Bold,"  says  the  good  lady,  "I  am  so  glad  to 
see  you.  We  are  in  such  trouble." 

"Have  the  Cluddes  got  her?"  I  asked,  Mistress  Lucy 
being  uppermost  in  my  thoughts. 

"No,  it  is  not  so  bad  as  that,  though  I  fear  that  will  be 
the  end  of  it.  But  she  has  left  us,  and  I  tremble  to  think 
of  the  poor  child  so  far  away,  and  among  strangers." 

"Among  strangers!     Pray,  ma'am,  explain,"  I  said, 


24o  HUMPHREY   BOLD 

glaH  enough  that  my  first  fear  was  unfounded,  but  mar- 
veling much  at  what  had  happened. 

"She  left  us  six  months  ago,"  Mrs.  Allardyce  went  on. 
"She  has  gone  back  to  Jamaica." 

"To  Jamaica !"  I  said.  "What  on  earth  induced  her  to 
do  that,  ma'am  ?" 

"  Twas  that  dreadful  law  case,  Mr.  Bold.  The  squire 
lost  the  day.  I  do  not  understand  it  myself,  he  will  ex- 
plain it  all  to  you  when  he  comes  home:  he  has  indeed 
gone  to  Bridgenorth  this  very  day  to  see  his  lawyer  about 
it.  Oh,  Mr.  Bold,  I  am  so  distressed!  If  I  only  knew 
she  was  safe  I  could  bear  the  separation  so  much  better." 

"I  do  not  think  you  need  be  uneasy  on  that  score,"  I 
said.  "She  has  friends  in  Jamaica,  as  you  know;  the 
people  there  are  all  very  kind ;  and  you  may  be  sure  they 
will  see  to  her  happiness." 

"I  am  so  glad  to  hear  that,"  said  the  lady.  "After  all, 
she  is  no  longer  a  child;  she  is  twenty  now,  Mr.  Bold, 
and  has  a  will  of  her  own,  and  great  self-reliance.  We 
had  one  letter  from  her,  to  say  that  she  had  arrived  safely ; 
that  was  three  months  ago :  I  suppose  there  has  not  been 
time  to  receive  another." 

"There  has  been  time,  certainly,"  I  replied,  with  some 
misgivings.  "Vessels  leave  Port  Royal  every  week.  But 
her  estate  is  situate  a  long  way  from  the  port,  and  may- 
be it  is  not  convenient  to  send  letters  often." 

"  'Tis  the  absence  of  letters  that  makes  the  squire  so 
uneasy.  But  for  his  being  unwilling  to  leave  me,  I  am 
sure  he  would  have  sailed  to  Jamaica  himself  to  make 
sure  that  all  is  well.  He  dotes  on  Lucy.  'Tis  a  thou- 
sand pities  that  Roger's  military  duties  will  not  permit 
of  his  going  out.  Do  you  think  that  Jamaica  is  a  healthy 
place  to  live  in,  Mr.  Bold  ?" 


241 

We  were  still  talking  when  Mr.  Allardyce  returned. 
He  was  heartily  glad  to  see  me,  and  at  once  poured  out 
his  tale  of  trouble.  The  Court  of  Chancery,  it  appeared, 
had  made  Miss  Lucy  a  ward,  but  instead  of  appointing 
Mr.  Allardyce  to  be  her  guardian,  it  had  given  that  office 
to  Sir  Richard  Cludde,  her  paternal  uncle.  Mr.  Allar- 
dyce spoke  of  the  judge  with  the  most  bitter  obloquy ;  he 
was  a  cross-grained,  dried-up  old  mummy,  said  the  squire, 
without  a  drop  of  good  red  blood  in  his  veins.  "He  was 
prejudiced  against  us  from  the  beginning,  and  when  our 
counsel  said  that  Lucy  herself  entreated  to  be  placed 
formally  under  my  guardianship  the  old  wretch  refused 
to  listen,  and  said  that  girls  were  better  seen  and  not 
heard.  I  suppose  he  has  a  nagging  wife,  and  serve  him 
right!" 

"And  there  is  no  appeal  ?"  I  asked. 

"Oh,  the  wretch  said  we  might  appeal  if  we  pleased, 
but  meanwhile  'twas  the  order  of  the  court  that  Lucy 
should  pass  under  Cludde's  guardianship.  But  he  had 
not  reckoned  with  Lucy.  While  I  was  in  London  about 
the  miserable  business  she  was  with  Mistress  Allardyce 
at  Bath,  where  madam  had  gone  to  take  the  waters. 
'Twas  lucky  Cludde  did  not  know  that,  for  as  soon  as 
the  decision  was  made,  he  posted  off  with  the  decree  in 
his  pocket,  making  no  doubt  that  he  would  seize  her  here 
and  carry  her  off  in  triumph.  Ha !  ha !  you  should  hear 
Giles  tell  how  he  raved  and  cursed  when  he  found  she 
was  not  here.  He  demanded  to  know  where  she  was,  but 
not  a  man  or  maid  would  tell  him ;  I've  raised  their  wages 
all  round.  Meanwhile  I  had  posted  to  Bath,  and  no 
sooner  does  Lucy  hear  what  has  happened  than  she  jumps 
up  and  cries :  'I'll  not  have  him  for  guardian  for  all  the 
judges  in  the  country.  Uncle,  I'll  go  back  to  Jamaica; 


242  HUMPHREY   BOLD 

please  find  me  a  ship  at  once.'  Egad,  I  like  spirit  in  a 
woman. 

"Well,  being  only  a  stone's  throw,  you  may  say,  from 
Bristowe,  it  was  no  long  matter  to  arrange  as  she  wished. 
I  own  I  was  loath  to  let  her  go,  but  'twas  clear  that 
Cludde  would  get  hold  of  her  if  she  remained  in  the 
country,  and  there  was  no  better  way  to  avoid  that 
'  'Twill  not  be  for  long,  uncle,'  she  says  when  I  bid  her 
good-by.  'In  a  few  months  I  shall  be  of  age,  and  then 
I  can  snap  my  fingers  at  the  Lord  Chancellor  himself.' 
And  that's  one  consolation,  Humphrey;  she  will  be  of 
age  before  the  year's  out." 

"But  will  not  Sir  Richard  go  after  her?" 

"Not  he.  He  doesn't  know — at  least  I  hope  not — 
where  she  is.  And  he's  crippled  with  the  gout,  and  made 
it  ten  times  worse  by  rushing  across  country  in  such  des- 
perate haste  in  the  wettest  month  I've  known  for  a  score 
of  years.  He  came  in  his  coach  to  see  me,  and  couldn't 
stir  out  of  it,  his  foot  being  so  swathed  in  flannel.  He 
roared  himself  purple,  threatening  me  with  imprisonment 
for  contempt  of  court  and  what  not,  but  I  laughed  in  his 
face,  and  told  him  that  Lucy  was  a  Cludde  already,  and 
would  change  her  name  for  a  better  one  when  the  time 
came.  That  hit  him  on  the  raw,  Humphrey  my  boy ;  he 
went  away  fuming,  and  I  don't  think  he  will  drive  over 
to  see  me  again." 

And  then,  being  somewhat  cheered  by  this  recollection 
of  his  victory  over  Sir  Richard,  he  asked  me  how  I  had 
been  faring.  When  he  learned  that  I  was  about  to  sail 
for  the  West  Indies  again,  he  gave  a  gleeful  chuckle. 

"I  wish  you  luck,  my  boy,"  he  cried,  slapping  me  on 
the  back,  "both  in  love  and  war." 

"Sir !"  said  I,  conscious  of  flushed  cheeks. 

"Give  Lucy  my  love,"  he  said,  "and  remember,  my  lad, 


I   WALK   INTO   A    SNARE  243 

that  'tis  a  very  serious  matter  to  marry  a  ward  of  court." 
And  then  he  chuckled  and  laughed  again.  Seeing  that  I 
had  never  so  much  as  hinted  that  any  such  idea  as  he 
suggested  had  entered  my  head,  I  was  somewhat  taken 
aback  by  the  old  gentleman's  perspicacity ;  for  if  the  truth 
must  be  told  (and  it  will  out,  sooner  or  later)  I  had 
quite  resolved  in  my  own  mind  that  as  soon  as  I  attained 
captain's  rank,  and  had  gained  some  store  of  prize  money, 
as  I  had  no  doubt  I  should  do,  I  would  endeavor  to  settle 
Dick  Cludde's  hash  so  far  as  his  matrimonial  project  was 
concerned. 

"I  will  warn  off  all  trespassers,  sir,"  I  said  soberly  in 
reply  to  Mr.  Allardyce's  remark,  and  my  answer  seemed 
to  give  him  great  delight. 

Having  said  my  farewells  to  my  friends  in  Shrewsbury 
also,  I  hastened  back  to  my  ship.  We  set  sail  in  the  last 
week  of  August,  being  escorted  down  the  channel  by  Sir 
George  Rooke  and  Sir  John  Munden  with  a  large  fleet. 
On  the  second  of  September  we  left  Sir  George  off  Scilly, 
and  on  the  twenty-eighth  made  St.  Mary's,  one  of  the 
Azores,  and  remained  there  some  eight  days,  during 
which  Mr.  Benbow  (who  was  now  promoted  vice-ad- 
miral) called  his  flag-officers  and  captains  together  on 
board  the  Breda,  his  flagship,  and  communicated  to  them 
his  instructions.  The  junior  officers  and  some  of  the  men 
were  allowed  to  go  in  detachments  for  a  few  hours  on 
shore,  and  it  was  on  one  of  these  trips  that  I  heard  a  piece 
of  news  that  interested  me  deeply. 

I  was  strolling  along  with  Mr.  Venables  when  we  en- 
countered Joe  Punchard  and  a  group  of  men  from  the 
Breda.  Seeing  me,  he  touched  his  cap,  and  begged  that 
he  might  have  a  few  words  with  me  in  private.  I  went 
aside  with  him,  and  he  began : 

"That  there  young  lady,  sir — wasn't  she  kin  to  Dick 


244  HUMPHREY   BOLD 

Cludde — Mr.  Lieutenant  Cludde,  begging  his  pardon?" 
(I  had  told  Joe  how  'twas  Mistress  Lucy  had  saved  me 
from  a  horse- whipping  when  first  I  appeared  at  the  Hall.) 

"To  be  sure,  Joe,"  I  replied,  "she  is  his  cousin." 

"That  be  bad,  sir,"  says  he,  "and  'twill  be  worse,  by 
all  accounts." 

"What  do  you  mean?"  I  asked. 

"Why,  sir,  one  of  the  men  yonder  be  Jonathan  Tubbs, 
Captain  Kirkby  his  man,  and  he  was  just  a-telling  of  us 
how  Mr.  Cludde,  when  he's  in  his  cups  (which  is  pretty 
often)  tells  a  bragging  yarn  as  how  there's  a  mighty 
pretty  girl  out  in  Jamaicy  a-waitin'  to  be  spliced  as  soon 
as  he  comes  to  port ;  and  she's  a  cousin  of  his,  with  a  fine 
property ;  and  he'll  invite  all  the  officers  of  his  ship  to  the 
wedding  and  take  'em  teal-shooting  next  day,  and — " 

"That's  enough,  Joe,"  I  said.  "You  had  better  go  and 
tell  your  friend  Jonathan  Tubbs  not  to  repeat  things  he 
hears  when  he's  on  duty." 

Joe  instantly  touched  his  cap,  begged  my  pardon,  and 
walked  away.  I  must  have 'worn  a  very  sober  counte- 
nance when  I  rejoined  Mr.  Venables,  for  he  looked  at 
me  oddly,  and  asked  if  I  had  had  bad  news.  I  evaded 
the  question,  and  he  did  not  press  me.  It  was  indeed  bad 
news  in  this  respect ;  that  'twas  clear  the  Cluddes  knew  of 
Mistress  Lucy's  whereabouts.  Indeed,  for  all  I  knew, 
»Sir  Richard  himself  might  have  got  well  of  his  gout  and 
made  the  voyage  to  secure  his  ward.  It  wanted  but  a 
few  months  to  her  coming  of  age,  and  while  I  knew  that 
Dick  could  not  wed  her  during  her  minority,  I  saw  that 
the  very  shortness  of  the  time  left  would  make  the 
Cluddes  eager  to  get  her  under  their  influence.  I  had 
never  met  Dick  since  that  duel  of  ours  on  Southsea  Com- 
mon, having  deliberately  avoided  him;  but  I  said  to  nay- 
self  that  I  would  certainly  meet  him  when  we  arrived  in 


I   WALK   INTO   A   SNARE  245 

Jamaica  and  make  it  clear  to  him  that  he  would  interfere 
with  Mistress  Lucy  at  his  peril. 

Much  as  I  loved  the  sea,  I  now  wished  heartily  that  the 
voyage  was  over.  But  I  had  to  curb  my  impatience. 
'Twas  the  third  of  November  when  we  arrived  at  Barba- 
dos ;  we  made  Martinica  on  the  eighth,  and  next  day  came 
to  anchor  in  Prince  Rupert's  Bay,  on  the  northwest  end  of 
Dominica,  where  we  supplied  ourselves  with  water  and 
other  refreshments.  Thence  we  sailed  to  Mevis,  and  pro- 
ceeding to  Jamaica,  arrived  there  on  the  fifth  of  Decem- 
ber, and  anchored  in  Port  Royal  harbor.  I  immediately 
got  leave  from  my  captain  to  go  ashore,  and  inquired  of 
the  harbor  master  whether  one  Sir  Richard  Cludde  had 
lately  come  to  the  island.  My  worst  fear  was  relieved 
when  I  learned  that  it  was  not  so,  but  I  could  not  rest 
until  I  had  satisfied  myself  of  Mistress  Lucy's  well-being, 
so  I  hired  a  horse  and  rode  out  to  Spanish  Town,  being 
well  nigh  choked,  I  remember,  with  the  dust  my  steed's 
hoofs  raised  from  the  sandy  road. 

And  here  I  had  news  that  gave  me  the  greater  shock, 
for  that  it  was  utterly  unexpected.  I  made  my  inquiries 
from  a  merchant  with  whom  I  had  struck  up  a  friendship 
during  my  former  visit  (he  was  indeed  the  father  of  the 
Lucetta  I  have  spoken  of)  and  he  told  me  that  Mistress 
Lucy  was  certainly  living  on  her  estate  on  the  north  side 
of  the  island^  but  added  that  'twould  not  be  hers  much 
longer,  for  'twas  coming  into  the  market  by  order  of  her 
guardian.  This  was  surprising  enough,  and  I  asked  to 
whom  the  instructions  to  this  effect  had  been  committed. 
My  friend  then  said  that  they  had  been  brought  from 
England  some  months  before  by  a  lawyer  named  Vetch, 
who  was  armed  with  a  power  of  attorney. 

"Cyrus  Vetch?"  I  cried,  not  doubting  it,  but  overcome 
with  sheer  amazement 


246  HUMPHREY   BOLD 

"His  name  is  Cyrus,  I  believe,"  replied  my  friend. 
"He  stayed  here  a  few  days,  and  made  himself  very  pleas- 
ant, though  I  can't  say  I  took  to  him  myself." 

"He  is  a  thorough-paced  villain,"  I  said.  "Is  he  still 
in  the  town?" 

"No,  he  is  at  Penolver."  (This  was  the  name  of  the 
Cludde  estate.)  "He  is  a  masterful  fellow,  too;  he  dis- 
missed old  McTavish,  who  has  stewarded  the  estate  since 
Mr.  Cludde's  death;  the  poor  old  fellow  feels  it  very 
sorely,  for  though  he  is  a  pretty  warm  man,  like  most  of 
his  countrymen  here,  he  won't  take  no  other  stewardship, 
though  he  could  have  one  for  the  asking,  but  moons  about 
here  in  idleness." 

"Does  Mistress  Lucy  write  to  her  friends  here?"  I 
asked. 

"No,  and  they  are  displeased  at  her  silence ;  but  I  sup- 
pose she  thinks  it  scarce  worth  while  to  write  when  she 
will  soon  be  here  in  person.  She  will,  of  course,  return 
to  England  when  the  estate  is  sold,  and  is  to  make  a 
match  with  her  guardian's  son,  so  they  say.  My  word! 
he'll  be  a  lucky  fellow." 

This  news  of  Vetch's  presence  was  staggering.  As  Sir 
Richard's  attorney  he  had,  I  supposed,  full  power  to  ad- 
minister the  estate,  or  to  sell  it  if  he  pleased ;  but  I  thought 
it  a  monstrous  proceeding  if  he  did  this  without  Mistress 
Lucy's  consent.  I  had  no  belief  in  his  honesty,  and  sus- 
pected that  he  would  take  a  pretty  picking  of  the  purchase 
money  for  himself.  The  absence  of  letters  from  Mistress 
Lucy  was  disquieting.  The  presence  of  the  man  who  had 
been  Cludde's  companion  in  the  abduction  must  be  ob- 
noxious to  her,  and  it  seemed  strange  that  she  had  not 
written  to  her  friends  in  Spanish  Town,  and  had  allowed 
the  report  of  a  projected  marriage  with  Cludde  to  pass 
unchecked.  A  notion  that  she  might  be  under  some  con- 


I   WALK   INTO   A   SNARE  247 

straint  put  me  in  a  ferment,  and  I  resolved  to  ride  to 
Penolver  and  see  for  myself  how  matters  stood,  and  to 
let  Vetch  know  that,  even  though  I  could  not  dispute  his 
legal  status,  he  would  at  least  have  me  to  reckon  with  if 
he  subjected  Lucy  to  any  annoyance  or  duress. 

Returning  to  the  port,  I  begged  leave  of  Captain  Vin- 
cent to  go  for  a  few  days'  visit  to  a  friend  on  the  north 
side  of  the  island,  not  acquainting  him  with  any  par- 
ticulars, because  I  felt  that  Mistress  Lucy  would  not  like 
her  affairs  discussed.  He  demurred  at  first,  saying  that 
we  could  not  tell  when  we  might  have  to  put  to  sea ;  but 
on  my  reminding  him  that  the  work  of  refitting  and  clean- 
ing after  the  voyage  would  take  some  time,  and  promis- 
ing to  return  within  a  week,  he  yielded.  I  set  off  early 
next  morning,  being  provided  by  my  merchant  friend, 
Mr.  Gurney,  with  a  trusty  companion  and  guide  in  the 
person  of  a  smiling  negro.  At  first  I  had  purposed  to  ride 
alone,  but  my  friend  said  that,  while  I  had  only  to  follow 
the  direct  road  for  about  half  my  journey,  which  could 
take  me  through  the  well-settled  parish  of  St.  John,  after- 
wards I  should  run  great  risk  of  losing  my  way  in  the 
cockpit  country,  maybe  stumbling  upon  a  settlement  o£ 
wild  maroons,  or  stepping  into  one  of  the  impassable 
sink-holes  whose  grass-grown  surface  gives  no  warning 
of  the  treacherous  chasm  below. 

We  rode  till  eleven  o'clock,  when  the  air  became  too 
hot  for  comfortable  traveling,  and  entered  a  rest-house 
kept  by  a  black  friend  of  my  companion.  He  met  us  at 
the  door,  his  face  shining  with  heat  and  good  temper. 

"Good  mornin',  Massa ;  hope  I  see  you  well,"  says  he. 
"Hi,  Jacob,  where  you  bin  dis  long  time  ?" 

He  led  the  way  most  obsequiously  into  a  large  room 
with  a  sanded  floor.  It  was  cool  and  dark  after  the  out- 
side air,  being  shaded  with  green  jalousies  at  the  win- 


248  HUMPHREY   BOLD 

dows.  I  sat  down,  glad  to  escape  from  the  heat,  and 
Jacob  went  off  with  the  host  to  enjoy  a  chat  and  prepare 
me  a  meal.  Drowsy  with  the  warmth,  I  was  half-dozing 
when  a  rough  voice  aroused  me  with  a  start. 

"Mornin',  yer  honor." 

My  eyes  being  now  accustomed  to  the  dim  light,  I  saw 
a  man  seated  at  a  table  at  the  farther  end  of  the  room. 
He  was  a  burly  fellow,  with  a  look  of  the  sea-dog  about 
him. 

"Good  morning,"  I  replied. 

"Ridin'  far,  yer  honor  ?"  said  the  man  again. 

"Massa  Humf'y  Bold  ridin'  jest  as  far  as  Missus 
Cludde's  at  Penolver,"  said  my  guide,  coming  at  this 
moment  into  the  room  with  a  plate  of  jams  and  part  of 
a  fowl.  "Massa  Bold  a  king's  officer,  and  don't  want  do 
no  talk  wiv  common  man.  Me  do  talk  for  massa." 

I  laughed  at  the  negro's  officiousness,  which  the  man 
did  not  appear  to  resent.  He  said  nothing  more  to  me, 
and  I  soon  knew  by  his  snores  that  he  had  fallen  asleep. 

After  a  light  meal  and  a  long  rest,  we  set  off  again, 
and  came  at  dark  to  another  humble  roadside  hostelry, 
where  I  was  glad  to  put  up  for  the  night.  I  had  not  yet 
gone  to  sleep  when  I  heard  the  tlot-tlot  of  a  horse,  and 
wondered  a  little,  as  the  sound  died  away  in  the  distance, 
who  could  be  riding  so  late.  A  brilliant  moon  was  shin- 
ing, and  I  thought  that  perhaps  I  had  done  better  if  I 
too  had  pursued  my  journey  through  the  night,  and  rested 
during  the  day.  But  it  was  too  late  to  think  of  that  now  ; 
I  was  very  tired,  and  with  the  faint  sounds  of  the  trotting 
horse  still  in  my  ears  I  fell  asleep,  not  awaking  till  the 
sun  was  an  hour  or  two  above  the  horizon. 

'Twas  towards  evening  next  day  when,  after  riding 
through  a  wild  hilly  country,  densely  clad  with  tropical 
vegetation,  amid  which  the  only  road  was  a  horse  track, 


I   WALK   INTO   A    SNARE  249 

my  guide  told  me  we  were  approaching  our  journey's  end. 
The  road  broadened,  and  by  and  by  ran  between  large 
fields  of  pasture  land.  Then  we  came  beneath  a  thick 
grove,  and  were  jogging  along  carelessly,  when  my  horse 
suddenly  stumbled  and  went  down  with  so  violent  a  shock 
that  I  was  jerked  from  the  saddle.  Before  I  could  get 
upon  my  feet,  rough  hands  seized  me,  in  a  trice  cords 
were  lashed  round  me  with  a  dexterity  that  identified  my 
captors  as  seamen,  and  I  was  forthwith  hauled  along  at 
the  heels  of  as  villainous  a  crew  as  I  had  ever  seen.  And 
I  knew  from  sundry  moans  and  howls  behind  me  that 
Jacob  had  been  dealt  with  in  like  manner. 


CHAPTER  XXIII 

UNCLE  MOSES 

Since  my  former  kidnapping  at  Bristowe  I  had  learned 
that  'tis  mere  folly  to  fly  into  a  rage  and  rail  at  fate  or 
your  enemies.  So,  affecting  a  cheerful  tone,  I  said : 

"Why,  sure  this  is  scurvy  treatment  to  deal  out  to  a 
king's  officer,  my  friends." 

"No  friends  of  yourn,"  replied  one  of  the  men.  An- 
other laughed  and  said :  "Strap  me  if  we  ha'n't  caught  a 
tolly,  mates." 

"Tolly,"  as  I  learned  afterwards,  was  the  cant  name  by 
which  king's  officers  were  known  to  the  buccaneers.  The 
fact  that  I  was  an  officer,  of  which  they  had  apparently 
been  ignorant,  seemed  to  give  the  men  much  pleasure. 
Some  of  them,  no  doubt,  had  once  been  king's  men,  and 
knew  without  any  telling  the  gravity  of  their  offense.  I 
wasted  no  more  words  on  them.  They  took  me  to  a 
wooden  shanty  standing  by  itself,  tied  me  to  a  staple  in 
the  wall,  shut  and  padlocked  the  door,  and  went  away. 

Left  to  myself,  I  sought  for  some  explanation  of  this 
new  addition  to  the  catalogue  of  my  mischances.  What 
were  buccaneers  doing  on  this  estate?  Had  they  quitted 
for  the  nonce  their  usual  work  of  snapping  up  cargo 
ships  ?  Had  they  made  a  raid  upon  the  house  and  served 
Vetch  as  they  had  served  me  ?  I  had  no  pity  for  him,  but 
the  thought  of  the  sore  straits  in  which  Mistress  Lucy 
might  be  filled  me  with  disquiet  and  alarm.  And  then 

250 


UNCLE   MOSES  251 

another  explanation  flashed  into  my  mind.  Was  it  possible 
that  the  men  had  been  hired  by  Vetch  himself  in  pursu- 
ance of  some  villainous  scheme  for  keeping  Mistress 
Lucy  in  his  power?  I  thought  of  this  until  it  became  a 
conviction.  Mistress  Lucy's  friends  in  Spanish  Town 
were  surprised  and  hurt  at  the  absence  of  news  from  her ; 
her  silence  must  be  due  to  Vetch.  His  motive  was  not 
far  to  seek.  Cludde  had  been  boasting  of  the  bride 
awaiting  him  in  Jamaica;  I  could  not  doubt  that  Vetch 
was  holding  her  in  durance  until  Cludde  should  arrive, 
and,  her  minority  having  expired,  she  could  be  cajoled 
or  forced  into  a  marriage  with  him.  It  was  essential  to 
the  success  of  this  piece  of  villainy  that  she  should  be  kept 
from  communication  with  her  friends,  and  nothing  was 
more  natural  than  that  Vetch  should  hire  a  gang  of  buc- 
caneers to  assist  him  in  accomplishing  his  end.  I  mar- 
veled at  his  audacity,  and  burned  with  rage  at  my  utter 
helplessness. 

It  did  not  occur  to  me  at  first  that  Vetch  would  knew 
who  it  was  that  his  hirelings  had  entrapped.  I  supposed 
that  he  had  established  a  system  of  ambushing,  so  that 
whoever  should  arrive  at  the  place  might  be  prevented, 
if  need  were,  from  having  speech  with  Mistress  Lucy  and 
learning  of  the  restraint  in  which  she  was  held.  But  on 
considering  this  matter  further  I  doubted  whether  even 
Vetch  would  have  dared  to  go  this  length,  for  if  people 
came  from  Spanish  Town  and  did  not  return,  it  would 
certainly  be  suspected  that  something  was  wrong,  and  I 
could  scarcely  believe  that  no  notice  would  have  been 
taken  of  it  by  the  authorities,  civil  or  military.  This 
made  my  capture  the  more  surprising,  for  while  I  did 
not  doubt  that  Vetch,  if  he  had  heard  of  my  coming, 
would  not  scruple  to  lay  by  the  heels  one  who  had  de- 
feated Him  in  his  former  design  on  Mistress  Lucy,  I  was 


252  HUMPHREY   BOLD 

at  a  loss  to  understand  how  the  identity  of  his  visitor 
could  have  become  known  to  him. 

I  lay  awake  all  night,  plagued  by  the  heat  and  the  mul- 
titudinous insects,  but  still  more  by  my  anxieties.  In  the 
morning  I  heard  footsteps  approaching,  and  the  door  be- 
ing thrown  open,  I  saw  that  my  visitor  was  Vetch  him- 
self. 

"So  'tis  indeed  Mr.  Humphrey  Bold,"  he  said,  with  a 
grin  of  malice.  "I  scarce  believed  in  my  good  fortune.  I 
did  not  expect  to  be  honored  by  a  visit  from  Mr.  Hum- 
phrey Bold." 

I  knew  not  what  to  say  to  the  insolent  wretch  who 
stood  smiling  there ;  'twas  clear  that  he  had  expected  me, 
which  was  very  puzzling,  since  none  but  my  friend  Mr. 
Gurney  in  Spanish  Town  and  Captain  Vincent  knew  of 
my  errand.  Then  all  at  once  I  remembered  the  seaman 
in  the  hostelry,  and  my  guide's  telling  him  my  name,  and 
the  horseman  riding  by  at  night ;  'twas  clear  to  me  now 
that  the  man  was  a  spy  of  Vetch's,  kept  on  the  road  for 
this  very  purpose  of  riding  ahead  of  a  visitor  and  giving 
intimation  of  his  approach. 

"I  need  not  say,"  continued  Vetch,  "how  charmed  I  am 
to  see  one  who  is  endeared  to  me  by  many  old  associa- 
tions." 

"You  villain!"  I  cried,  finding  my  tongue  now  that  I 
had  light  upon  his  doings.  "You  have  had  many  lucky 
escapes,  but  by  heaven  you  shall  not  escape  this  time." 

"Escape!"  he  said,  opening  his  eyes  in  feigned  aston- 
ishment. "  'Tis  you  who  will  not  escape — again !" 

"You  will  release  me/'  I  said. 

"In  my  own  good  time,"  he  answered.  "A  hothead 
like  you  will  benefit  by  a  period  of  quiet  meditation." 

"You  will  release  me  at  once,"  I  said.  "You  dare  not 
keep  me  here.  There  are  those  in  Spanish  Town  and 


UNCLE   MOSES  253 

Port  Royal  who  know  where  I  have  come :  they  will  seek 
me  if  I  do  not  return  to  the  ship  within  the  expected  time, 
and  then  you  will  find  a  halter  round  your  neck,  Cyrus 
Vetch." 

"Not  at  all,"  he  said  with  a  bland  smile.  "A  mes- 
senger will  leave  here  to-morrow  with  a  letter  saying-  that 
my  old  friend  and  school-fellow,  Humphrey  Bold,  is  sick 
with  a  fever.  He  will  have  every  attention,  and  a  report 
of  his  condition  shall  be  sent  to  his  captain — Captain 
Vincent,  is  it  not?  I  fear  Mr.  Bold  may  not  have  recov- 
ered before  the  fleet  sails ;  it  is  likely  that  he  may  be  very 
ill  indeed;  'tis  possible  he  may  die!  And  Captain  Vin- 
cent shall  know  how  tenderly  he  was  nursed — yes,  by 
Mistress  Lucy  Cludde — " 

"Don't  name  her  name,  you  hound!"  I  cried  hotly, 
stung  at  last  into  fury. 

"Gently,  Mr.  Bold,"  said  he;  "you  will  but  aggravate 
your  distemper.  Mistress  Lucy  Cludde  will  nurse  you — • 
in  my  letter ;  and  your  captain  will  think  it  most  natural 
and  commendable  seeing  that  you  are  her  guest,  and  that 
it  may  be  regarded  there  is  some  slight  relationship  be- 
tween you.  And  if  you  should  happily  recover,  why,  she 
may  herself  accompany  you  to  port  and  restore  you  to 
your  comrades.  But  that  will  not  be  till  I  please." 

I  cried  out  on  him  as  a  scoundrel,  though  vexed  with 
myself  for  such  mere  windiness  of  utterance.  The  truth 
is,  want  of  sleep  and  the  discomforts  of  the  night  were 
like  to  throw  me  into  a  real  fever,  and  the  dismay  I  felt 
at  this  possibility  helped  me  to  pull  myself  together. 
When  I  spoke  again  'twas  calmly,  without  heat. 

"You  are  playing  a  fool's  game,"  I  said.  "You  are  ex- 
ceeding your  rights  as  representative  of  Sir  Richard 
Cludde,  and  you  may  be  sure  you  will  be  called  to  a  heavy 
account  if  you  deal  wrongfully  with  the  estate  or  its 


254  HUMPHREY   BOLD 

owner.  Pull  up  before  it  is  too  late;  there  are  sundry 
things  against  you  in  England  that  will  not  dispose  the 
courts  to  show  you  mercy." 

"Hark  to  him!"  cries  Vetch  with  an  evil  sneer.  "He 
turns  preacher !  You  fool !  Who  are  you  to  foist  your- 
self into  the  concerns  of  your  betters — a  fellow  only 
saved  from  the  gutter  by  charity!  While  the  girl  is  a 
minor  I  will  deal  with  this  estate  as  I  please;  and  when 
she  comes  of  age,  then — " 

He  paused,  an  inscrutable  look  upon  his  face. 

"Then  Humphrey  Bold  may  go  hang,"  he  said,  and 
with  a  smile  that  made  me  feel  wondrous  uneasy  he  shut 
the  door  upon  me  and  departed. 

Of  all  the  mischances  I  had  suffered,  this  was,  I 
thought,  the  most  afflicting.  In  the  others  it  was  only 
myself  that  was  concerned,  and  a  man  who  sets  out  to 
conquer  fortune  must  expect  his  share  of  buffets  by  the 
way.  But  my  own  ill-hap  was  as  nothing  compared  with 
the  dangers  I  felt  to  be  hovering  about  Mistress  Lucy, 
and  to  know  myself  helpless  when  she  was  in  sore  need 
was  as  a  crushing  weight  upon  my  heart. 

I  was  not  left  long  to  my  reflections.  Presently  Vetch 
returned  with  two  villainous-looking  ruffians,  seamen  by 
their  build,  who  at  his  orders  bound  my  hands  behind  me 
and  then  conveyed  me  across  a  stretch  of  pasture  land  to 
a  wooden  house  that  stood  in  the  angle  of  a  field.  They 
took  me  up  a  flight  of  steps  on  to  a  veranda,  through  one 
room  into  another,  furnished  with  a  table,  a  chair,  and  a 
bed,  and  there  left  me. 

"I  warn  you  once  more,"  I  said  to  Vetch  before  he 
went.  "You  are  dealing  with  a  king's  officer,  and  if  you 
think  this  outrage  will  go  unpunished  you  are  mistaken, 
and  very  grievously.  And  I  tell  you,  Vetch,  that  if  Mis- 
tress Lucy  suffer  a  jot  at  your  hands,  either  in  herself, 


UNCLE   MOSES  255 

or  in  her  property,  you  shall  hang  for  it,  as  sure  as  my 
name  is  Humphrey  Bold." 

He  smiled,  swept  me  a  bow  and  was  gone. 

The  chamber  in  which  I  was  left  was  an  inner  apart- 
ment, such  as  are  common  in  the  houses  in  Jamaica,  en- 
closed by  other  rooms,  to  defend  it  from  the  heat.  It 
had  but  one  door,  and  was  illuminated  by  a  little  window 
high  up  in  the  partition  wall.  Escape  was  impossible 
save  through  the  door,  and  I  knew  by  the  sound  of  voices 
from  without  that  the  two  men  had  been  stationed  there 
to  keep  guard  over  me.  They  brought  me  some  food 
by  and  by,  one  of  them  carrying  it  into  the  room,  the 
other  standing  at  the  door  with  a  musket  in  his  hand, 
and  I  perceived  that  he  had  a  hanger  at  his  belt.  To  at- 
tempt to  overpower  them  and  escape  would  be  madness ; 
but  I  thought  it  might  not  be  impossible  to  prevail  on 
them  by  means  of  a  bribe  to  help  me,  and  with  that  ulti- 
mate design  I  resolved  to  open  friendly  communications 
with  them. 

"What  house  is  this  ?"  I  said. 

"Look  'ee,  master,  drink  your  bumbo  and  say  nought," 
he  growled. 

"Come,  come,"  I  said  pleasantly,  "you  are  a  tar,  as 
any  one  can  see,  and  as  good  a  seaman,  I  doubt  not,  as 
ever  slept  upon  foc's'le.  Two  years  ago  I  was  a  swab  my- 
self—" 

"Splutter  and  oons!"  cried  the  man,  interrupting  me, 
"who  be  you  a-calling  swab,  I'd  like  to  know !" 

"No  offense,"  I  said,  "I  was  just  going  to  tell  you  of 
the  fun  we  had,  my  mates  and  I,  when  we  were  prisoners 
in  France,  and  how  we  escaped  and  had  a  running  fight 
with  Duguay-Trouin — " 

"That's  a  good  un!"  he  cried.  "Hark  to  him,  Jack: 
says  he  had  a  fight  witH  Doggy  Trang." 


256  HUMPHREY   BOLD 

"Let's  hear  about  it,"  cries  the  man  he  had  called  Jack. 
Whereupon  I  launched  out  into  the  story  of  our  escape, 
made  them  laugh  heartily  by  my  description  of  our  deal- 
ings with  the  French  captain,  and  so  brought  them,  as 
I  thought,  to  a  more  reasonable  temper. 

"And  now,  seeing  that  we're  in  a  manner  shipmates, 
you  won't  refuse  to  answer  a  simple  question,  I'm  sure," 
I  said.  "What  house  is  this?" 

"No  harm  in  that,  Bill,"  says  Jack.  "  Tis  the  house 
of  the  second  overseer  of  this  'ere  plantation,  and  much 
good  may  it  do  you  to  know  it." 

Having  thus  broken  the  ice,  I  succeeded,  before  I  had 
finished  my  meal,  in  drawing  sundry  other  information 
out  of  them.  I  learned  that  the  place  of  my  imprisonment 
was  some  two  miles  from  Mistress  Lucy's  house,  being 
situate  at  the  extreme  verge  of  the  sugar  plantation.  The 
men  knew  nothing  about  Mistress  Lucy,  or  of  what  went 
on  at  the  house,  having  recently  been  brought  up  by 
Vetch,  along  with  a  dozen  or  more  shipmates,  from  a 
brig  belonging  to  their  employer  that  now  lay  in  a  cove 
on  the  north  of  the  island  some  ten  miles  away.  They 
made  no  bones  about  acknowledging  that  they  had  formed 
part  of  the  crew  of  a  buccaneer  vessel  and  had  been  hired 
by  Vetch  for  a  month's  service  on  shore,  which  suited 
them  very  well,  since  they  had  nothing  to  do,  good  pay, 
and  were  given  a  liberal  allowance  of  bumbo,  which  was, 
I  discovered,  a  concoction  of  rum  and  water,  sugar  and 
nutmeg. 

"Well,  now,"  says  I,  thinking  the  time  had  come  for 
my  proposal,  "I  don't  ask  you  what  pay  you  are  getting, 
but  whatever  it  is,  I  will  double  it  if  you'll  let  me  loose, 
and  help  me  to  get  down  to  Spanish  Town." 

"Come  up,  now !"  says  Bill,  "d'ye  think  to  gammon  us  ? 
We  know  what  a  lieutenant's  wages  is,  we  do,  and  'twould 


UNCLE   MOSES  257 

take  a  dozen  of  you  together  to  pay  us  enough  for  that 
there  job." 

"And  you  shall  have  it/'  I  said. 

"Ay,  and  a  dose  of  irons  into  the  bargain,"  said  the 
man.  "No,  no :  we  don't  want  no  lobsters  up  from  Span- 
ish Town;  not  if  we  know  it.  Besides,  we  knows  what 
king's  officers  be,  don't  we,  Jack?  We've  bin  on  king's 
ships,  Lord  love  you,  and  we  knows  where  the  pay  goes 
to.  Once  you  get  to  Spanish  Town  you'd  forget  all  about 
us ;  we've  bin  done  like  that  afore." 

And  then  what  must  I  do  but  produce  a  handful  of 
silver  and  show  it  them  as  earnest  of  my  promise.  I 
could  not  have  done  a  stupider  thing.  At  the  sight  of 
the  money  the  men  fell  upon  me,  and  emptied  my  pocket 
(despite  my  resistance)  of  every  stiver  it  contained;  so 
that  I  was  now,  as  once  before  in  my  life,  bare  of  every- 
thing save  my  clothes  and  Cludde's  crown-piece,  which 
was  hidden  under  my  shirt.  Then,  with  many  a  chuckle, 
the  scoundrels  left  me,  to  meditate  on  the  exceeding  folly 
of  trying  to  make  terms  with  buccaneers. 

So  three  days  passed.  I  was  never  allowed  to  quit  my 
room ;  Jack  and  Bill  guarded  it  by  day,  two  other  men  by 
night.  I  became  more  and  more  miserable  and  anxious. 
I  could  get  no  news  from  my  jailers,  nor  did  I  ever  see 
the  overseer  in  whose  house  I  was;  and  I  suffered  from 
a  constant  dread  that  Vetch's  plans,  whatever  they  were, 
were  maturing,  and  that  it  would  soon  be  too  late  for  any 
intervention. 

On  the  third  night  of  my  imprisonment  in  the  over- 
seer's house  (the  fourth  since  my  arrival)  I  was  very 
restless.  My  enforced  inactivity,  and  the  lack  of  fresh 
air,  were  producing  the  natural  effect ;  every  night  I  slept 
less,  waking  frequently,  to  toss  and  heave  until  I  sank 
again  into  a  troubled  slumber. 


258  HUMPHREY   BOLD 

In  one  of  these  intervals,  I  heard  a  scratching  sound — 
just  such  a  sound  as  a  mouse  makes  behind  the  wainscot. 
I  had  not  noticed  it  before,  and  it  caused  me  nothing-  but 
irritation  now,  for  when  a  man  is  wakeful,  such  sounds, 
however  slight  they  may  be,  become  magnified  to  his 
overstrung  nerves.  I  endured  the  sound  for  a  time ;  then 
shooed  to  scare  the  gnawing  animal  away.  But  it  did  not 
desist  for  an  instant,  and  at  last,  vexed  beyond  measure, 
I  got  out  of  bed,  groped  my  way  to  the  spot  whence  I 
thought  the  sound  proceeded  (it  seemed  to  come  from  the 
floor)  and  stamped  heavily  on  the  boards. 

My  action  was  heard  by  the  men  outside  the  door,  and 
one  of  them  cried  out  angrily  to  know  what  I  was  about. 

"  Tis  a  wretched  mouse  will  not  let  me  sleep,"  I  re- 
plied. 

"And  what  can  you  expect,  you  fool,  when  your  room's 
over  an  empty  stable?"  he  said.  "Curse  me!  what  a 
fresh-water  fair-weather  fowl  you  be!" 

The  scratching  having  ceased,  I  went  back  to  bed.  But 
in  a  few  moments  it  recommenced,  at  what  seemed  to  be 
a  spot  nearer  to  me,  and,  marveling  somewhat  at  the  per- 
sistence of  the  beast  (for  a  mouse  is  easily  scared),  I  cov- 
ered my  head,  and  so  endeavored  to  shut  out  the  annoy- 
ance. 

I  think  I  must  have  dozed  again,  for  suddenly  I  found 
myself  sitting  bolt  upright,  straining  my  ears  as  a  man 
does  when  he  is  suddenly  wakened  from  sleep  and  is  not 
sure  whether  'twas  by  an  actual  sound  or  by  a  sound 
heard  in  dream.  And  in  a  moment  my  doubt  was  re- 
solved; assuredly  I  heard  a  sound,  and  'twas  like  a  hu- 
man voice,  but  muffled.  I  listened  intently;  it  appeared 
to  come  from  beneath  me.  While  I  was  wondering  who 
could  have  chosen  the  stable  as  a  place  for  conversation 
in  the  dead  of  night  I  could  have  sworn  (though  half- 


UNCLE   MOSES  259 

believing  it  must  be  an  hallucination)  that  I  heard  my 
own  name.  In  a  trice  I  was  out  of  bed,  and  groping  my 
way  under  it,  my  hand  struck  against  something  project- 
ing from  the  floor,  and  at  the  same  moment  I  heard  dis- 
tinctly, and  as  it  were  in  my  very  ear,  a  low  whisper, 
"Massa  Bold,  Massa  Bold !" 

"Who  is  there  ?"  I  whispered  in  return,  and,  clutching 
the  thing  my  hand  had  touched,  I  felt  it  move.  I  tight- 
ened my  grasp  upon  it ;  it  was  round,  and  as  I  discovered 
by  laying  my  other  hand  upon  its  top,  hollow.  Struck  by 
a  sudden  thought  I  bent  my  face  down,  and  whispered 
again  into  the  hole,  "Who  is  there?"  afterwards  turn- 
ing my  ear  upon  it. 

"Massa  Bold,  lill  Missy  sends  a  letter." 

The  words  came  clearly  up  the  tube. 

"Me  poke  it  up,"  said  the  voice  again.  I  withdrew  my 
ear,  and  waited  in  a  tense  breathlessness  of  amazement. 
Then  I  heard  a  slight  rustling,  and  placing  my  hand  on 
the  tube,  I  felt  a  small  piece  of  paper  thrust  against  it. 
Grasping  this,  all  my  frame  thrilling  with  excitement,  I 
whispered  again : 

"Who  are  you?" 

"Me  Uncle  Moses,"  said  the  voice.  "Good  night,  sah ; 
come  again  to-morrow." 

And  then  all  was  silent. 

Picture  if  you  can  my  state  of  mind  as  I  crept  back 
into  my  bed  and  lay  down  again,  the  precious  note  in  my 
hand.  I  was  trembling  with  happiness:  Lucy  knew  of 
my  presence,  and  had  written  to  me.  And  yet  I  was 
doomed  to  lie  in  a  tantalizing  impatience  until  the  dawn 
should  give  me  leave  to  read  her  message.  I  had  no  more 
sleep  that  night,  wonderment,  conjecture,  pleasure,  hope, 
setting  up  a  whirl  in  my  brain.  As  soon  as  there  was  the 
faintest  tremor  in  the  darkness  I  sat  up  and,  unfolding 


26o  HUMPHREY   BOLD 

the  paper,  sought  vainly  to  decipher  it.  Never  had  time 
seemed  so  long  to  me  as  I  waited  for  the  oncoming  of 
the  beneficent  light  of  day.  And  at  last,  lifting  the  paper 
almost  to  my  eyes,  I  was  able  to  make  out  the  words. 

'Twas  in  French,  and  I  blessed  the  chance  which  en- 
abled me  to  understand  it,  and  the  woman's  wit  that  had 
prompted  Lucy  to  choose  this  disguise.  She  said  she 
had  learned  of  what  had  happened  through  the  gossip  of 
the  servants ;  the  man  who  had  heard  my  name  in  the 
rest-house  had  mentioned  it.  She  told  me  that  she  was 
virtually  a  prisoner.  She  knew  not  what  Vetch  intended 
(she  did  not  name  him,  but  wrote  of  him  as  cet  honunc 
mechant),  but  she  was  kept  under  strict  surveillance;  her 
movements  were  dogged ;  and  though  she  had  three  times 
endeavored  to  make  her  escape  along  with  the  old  nurse 
who  had  accompanied  her  from  England,  she  had  always 
been  prevented,  and  those  who  had  assisted  her  had  been 
terribly  punished.  Uncle  Moses,  her  father's  body-serv- 
ant, who  was  devoted  to  her,  had  been  whipped  almost 
to  death,  and  she  dared  make  no  further  attempt,  for  the 
sake  of  the  poor  black  people.  Dick  Cludde  had  come 
up  from  Spanish  Town,  she  told  me,  and  crushing  down 
her  repugnance  to  meet  him,  she  had  besought  him  to  in- 
terpose. He  had  seemed  troubled,  and  had  gone  away, 
'as  she  thought,  to  plead  with  Vetch,  but  she  had  not  seen 
him  again.  It  was  after  that  that  she  had  heard  of  my 
imprisonment.  She  thanked  me  for  coming  to  help  her ; 
she  knew  that  was  my  purpose ;  had  I  not  helped  her  be- 
fore? and  she  prayed  that  I  might  find  some  means  of 
escaping,  so  that  I  might  take  her  away  and  save  her 
from  the  wicked  man  who  had  her  in  his  power. 

I  ground  my  teeth  as  I  read  all  this,  and  vowed  that  if 
I  could  but  get  free  I  would  wreak  a  vengeance  on  Vetch 
that  he  would  not  easily  forget.  But  the  knowledge  of 


UNCLE   MOSES  261 

my  impotence  wrought  me  to  a  pitcfi  of  fury  tHat  for  a 
time  almost  bereft  me  of  my  senses,  and  I  could  only 
rage  and  fume  in  desperate  misery.  My  guardians,  when 
they  came  in  to  attend  to  my  wants,  seemed  to  be  con- 
scious of  my  state  of  mind ;  they  eyed  me  with  suspicion, 
and  the  man  at  the  door  took  up  his  musket  ostentatiously, 
though  neither  said  a  word  to  me. 

After  a  time  my  passion  subsided,  and  with  recovered 
calmness  I  saw  that  my  only  chance  of  doing  anything 
for  Lucy  depended  on  my  patience  and  self-restraint.  I 
waited  eagerly  for  night.  The  negro  had  said  that  he 
would  come  again,  and  this  could  only  mean  that  Lucy 
had  some  hope  of  our  being  able  between  us  to  devise 
some  means  of  escape.  The  man  ran  a  great  risk ;  if  the 
buccaneers  heard  us  speaking  they  would  discover  him, 
and  then  all  hope  would  be  lost.  Fervently  as  I  longed  to 
hear  his  voice  again,  I  was  consumed  with  anxiety  lest 
he  should  come  too  soon,  or  that  by  some  accident,  some 
incautious  movement,  he  might  reveal  his  presence. 

The  day  passed  and  when  I  went  to  bed  I  lay  in  rest- 
less impatience,  straining  my  ears  to  catch  the  slightest 
whisper,  and  starting  up  several  times  in  the  belief  that 
I  heard  him.  At  last,  when  all  was  silent  save  for  the 
heavy  breathing  of  the  men  outside  the  door,  I  caught  ( 
the  faint  sound  made  by  the  pushing  of  the  tube  (a 
length  of  sugar-cane,  as  I  afterwards  learned)  through 
the  hole  he  had  bored  in  the  double  floor.  I  stole  noise- 
lessly out  of  bed,  and  crept  cautiously  to  the  place  be- 
neath it. 

"Is  that  you,  Moses  ?"  I  whispered. 

"Yes,  massa,  me's  here?" 

"Is  Mistress  Lucy  well?" 

"Welly  miserable,  sah.  Missy  say  Massa  Bold  take 
care ;  she  say  'God  bless  Massa.'  " 


262  HUMPHREY   BOLD 

Inwardly  I  blessed  her  for  her  thought  of  me;  then 
I  said: 

"We  must  both  be  careful,  Moses.  Now,  I  must  escape 
from  this,  and  you  must  help  me." 

"Yes,  Massa,  me  want  to  help,  but  dere  is  no  way  for 
po'  Uncle  Moses." 

"We  must  find  a  way;  we  must,"  I  said  in  a  fierce 
whisper.  "Could  you  come  up  and  help  me  if  I  burst 
open  the  door  ?  Are  you  strong  ?  Could  you  knock  a  man 
down?" 

"Me  plenty  strong,  sah,  but  what  good  dat?  Massa 
might  get  away,  but  what  den  ?" 

"Why,  we  could  get  among  the  trees  in  the  darkness, 
and  you  could  lead  me  to  the  road,  and  perhaps  find  me  a 
horse,  so  that  I  could  ride  to  Spanish  Town.'* 

"No,  no,  sah,  me  berry  much  'fraid  in  dark,  sah.  Me 
shake  like  leaf  now,  sah ;  but  in  forest,  wiv  de  bugaboos, 
me  melt  all  away  to  water." 

I  had  heard  of  the  dread  with  which  the  negroes  re- 
garded the  bugaboos,  the  evil  spirits  of  the  woods,  and 
knew  that  there  was  but  a  poor  chance  of  escaping  if  my 
guide  were  in  a  state  of  panic  terror.  Moses  had  shown 
unusual  courage  in  coming  alone  in  the  darkness  to  the 
stable  beneath  me,  and  there  was  a  tremor  in  his  voice 
which  showed  that  even  now  but  little  was  wanted  to 
make  him  go  howling  away.  I  thought  it  best  not  to  risk 
so  inopportune  and  fatal  a  calamity,  so  I  bade  him  go 
away  and  come  again  next  night,  by  which  time  I  hoped 
to  have  been  able  to  think  out  a  plan  that  offered  reason- 
able prospects  of  success. 


CHAPTER  XXIV 

I  MAKE  A  BID  FOR  LIBERTY 

I  slept  heavily  when  Uncle  Moses  had  gone,  making 
tip  for  my  wakefulness  the  night  before ;  and  next  day  I 
was  more  composed  in  mind,  and  readier  to  take  thought. 
Ignorant  as  I  was  of  the  plantation  and  the  country  round, 
I  saw  that  to  escape  in  the  night  without  a  guide  would 
be  to  court  disaster,  and  a  timorous  guide  like  Uncle 
Moses,  with  his  fear  of  the  bugaboos,  might  lead  me  to 
my  undoing.  Therefore  my  flight  must  be  contrived  by 
day.  The  door  of  my  chamber  was  opened  three  times, 
when  the  guards  brought  me  food,  and  'twas  possible 
that,  with  the  negro  making  a  diversion  outside,  I  might 
seize  such  an  occasion  to  fell  one  of  the  men  and  evade 
the  other.  But  this  plan  scarce  promised  success,  for  the 
house  was  situate  in  the  sugar  plantation,  and  doubtless 
many  negroes  would  be  at  work,  and  the  overseer  would 
be  at  hand,  with  possibly  others  of  the  piratical  dogs 
whom  Vetch  had  brought  up  from  the  coast.  There  was 
one  period  of  the  day,  however,  when  few  people,  if  any, 
would  be  astir,  and  that  was  the  middle  part  from  eleven 
till  about  three,  when  work  ceased,  everybody  seeking 
shelter  from  the  heat.  I  could  reckon  on  my  guards  be- 
ing sleepy  and  sluggish  then ;  and,  moreover,  seeing  that 
during  several  days  I  had  given  them  no  trouble,  they 
would  be  quite  unprepared  for  any  violent  outbreak. 
True,  my  door  was  always  locked,  but  looking  at  it,  I 
did  not  doubt  that  if  I  threw  myself  upon  it  with  all  my 

263 


264  HUMPHREY   BOLD 

strength  it  would  give  way.  And  if  Uncle  Moses  had  the 
courage  at  the  same  time  to  tackle  the  men,  there  was  a 
chance  that  we  might  seize  their  arms  and  make  good  our 
escape  before  they  had  recovered  from  their  surprise.  At 
any  rate,  I  saw  nothing  better. 

Being  resolved  on  this  first  step,  I  had  to  consider 
the  next  What  should  I  do  if  I  escaped  ?  Should  I  en- 
deavor to  make  my  way  to  Spanish  Town  and  return 
with  a  force  of  tars,  or  of  soldiers  from  Collingwood's 
regiment  then  in  garrison,  sufficient  to  deal  with  Vetch's 
desperadoes?  This  idea  I  soon  dismissed.  I  felt  that 
time  was  of  the  greatest  moment.  I  did  not  know  the 
exact  date  of  Mistress  Lucy's  coming  of  age,  but  'twas 
very  clear  that  it  was  not  far  distant ;  it  might  be,  indeed, 
within  a  few  days,  and  I  had  such  a  belief  in  Vetch's 
villainy  that  I  feared  he  might  force  Lucy  into  a  marriage 
with  Cludde  the  very  moment  she  was  free  from  the  au- 
thority of  the  Chancery  Court.  Cludde  had  arrived,  I 
remembered,  and  was  perhaps  still  at  the  house  awaiting 
the  day  of  Lucy's  enfranchisement,  and  I  clenched  my 
fists  at  the  thought.  It  would  take  me  a  full  day  on  a  swift 
horse  to  reach  Spanish  Town,  even  if  I  rode  at  peril  of 
sunstroke  through  the  hot  hours,  and  another  day,  per- 
haps two  or  three,  to  return  with  assistance ;  and  it  was 
in  the  highest  degree  unlikely,  first  that  I  should  be  able 
to  get  a  horse,  and  if  I  did,  to  ride  the  whole  length  of 
the  estate  without  being  intercepted.  And  further,  sup- 
posing all  happened  as  favorably  as  I  could  wish,  at  the 
news  of  my  flight  Vetch  would  without  question  carry 
off  Mistress  Lucy  to  the  brig  that  lay  on  the  coast,  and 
would  sail  to  England  or  elsewhere,  secure  in  the  knowl- 
edge that  I  could  not  pursue  him. 

I  can  relate  the  course  of  my  reasoning  in  cold  blood 
now,  but  on  that  day  of  anxious  pondering  every  other 


I   MAKE   A   BID   FOR   LIBERTY         265 

consideration  was  outweighed  by  the  feeling  that  I  must 
not  go  far  from  Mistress  Lucy.  And  so  I  resolved  that 
if  I  got  free  I  would  ask  Uncle  Moses  to  lead  me  to  some 
spot  near  by,  difficult  of  access,  where  I  might  lurk  while 
concerting  some  means  of  assisting  her.  It  passed  my 
wit  to  conceive  of  any  plan  that  promised  success;  but 
certainly  1  could  do  nothing  while  a  prisoner,  and  to  be 
free  was  my  one  consuming  desire. 

How  impatiently  I  waited  for  the  dark  needs  no  telling. 
And  some  words  I  overheard  pass  between  my  jailors, 
as  they  talked  over  their  supper,  drove  me  to  such  a  state 
of  desperation  that  I  had  almost  there  and  then  dashed 
myself  against  the  door  and  ruined  everything. 

"  'Twill  be  summat  new  for  Parson  Jim,"  says  Jack. 

"Ay,  'tis  many  a  year  since  he  tied  a  knot  o'  that  sort," 
replied  the  other. 

"D'ye  reckon  he  can  tie  it  safe  and  proper,  seeing  he 
bean't  no  more  a  parson  ?"  asked  Jack. 

"Never  you  fear,"  says  Bill ;  "once  a  parson  always  a 
parson,  as  I've  heard  tell.  'Tis  no  matter  he's  a  swab  and 
a  tosspot  like  you  and  me,  only  worse,  and  fit  for  nothing 
but  a  Newgate  galley ;  he'll  read  the  words  o'  the  book,  if 
so  be  he's  sober  enough  to  see  'em  (though  to  be  sure  his 
talk  is  always  most  pious  when  he's  drunk),  and  they'll 
be  lawful  man  and  wife,  same  as  if  they'd  bin  spliced  by 
the  Pope  of  Rome  himself." 

This  wrought  me  into  a  very  fever  of  apprehension.  I 
could  only  guess  who  Parson  Jim  might  be;  the  buc- 
caneers gathered  all  manner  of  strange  recruits;  it  was 
enough  that  there  was  talk  of  a  marriage,  and  I  was  sick 
with  dread  lest  after  all  I  should  be  too  late.  And  when 
at  last  I  heard  the  welcome  rustle  below  me,  the  first 
words  I  spoke  through  the  tube  were  an  anxious  inquiry 
for  Lucy's  welfare. 


266  HUMPHREY,   BOLE) 

"Missy  lots  better  now,  sah,"  replied  the  negro,  and 
with  the  vanity  of  youth  I  inferred  that  she  was  better  for 
the  knowledge  that  I  was  near. 

"Is  Mr.  Cludde  at  the  house?"  I  asked. 

"No,  sah ;  Massa  Cludde  gone  yesterday." 

That  was  good  news,  at  any  rate,  for  I  supposed  him 
to  have  returned  to  Spanish  Town,  perhaps  to  make  prep- 
arations for  his  wedding,  and  it  must  be  four  or  five  days 
at  earliest  before  he  could  be  back. 

"And  when  is  Mistress  Lucy's  birthday  ?"  I  asked. 

"Missy's  bufday  Friday,  Massa,  but  oughter  be  Furs- 
day." 

"What  do  you  mean?" 

"Missy  keep  bufday  one  day  after  proper  time,  sah, 
'cos  her  muwer  die  on  proper  bufday,  and  Massa  and 
Missy  too  sorry  to  be  jolly  dat  day,  sah." 

"Does  Mr.  Vetch  know  that?"  I  asked,  with  no  little 
anxiety,  for  'twas  Tuesday  night,  and  if  Vetch  knew  that 
Lucy  came  of  age  on  Thursday  the  time  was  perilously 
short. 

"No,  sah ;  Massa  Vetch  t'ink  de  proper  bufday  be  Fri- 
day, and  he  hab  told  all  de  black  people  dey  shall  get 
drunk  Saturday,  'cos  dere  will  be  wedding  in  de  house." 

There  was  confirmation  of  the  suspicion  my  jailors' 
talk  had  bred  in  me.  I  lost  no  time  now  in  imparting  my 
plan  to  the  negro.  He  gave  a  low  groan  when  I  had  fin- 
ished. 

"What's  the  matter?"  I  said.    "Are  you  afraid?" 

"Yes,  Massa,  I  am  'fraid.  S'pose  we  get  away,  dere  be 
dogs  at  the  big  house,  and  dey  will  let  'em  loose  on  us  and 
follow  on  horseback.  We  shall  be  cotched,  and  dat  will 
be  de  last  of  po'  Uncle  Moses." 

This  was  a  staggering  blow,  and  I  own  I  felt  for  the 
moment  an  utter  despair.  In  the  depths  of  the  forest  land, 


I   MAKE   A   BID   FOR   LIBERTY         267 

could  we  but  gain  it,  we  might  elude  the  search  of  men, 
but  not  the  unerring  scent  of  bloodhounds. 

"Are  there  horses  we  could  make  off  with?"  I  said  at 
length. 

"No,  Massa ;  all  de  horses  but  two  at  de  big  house  be 
gwine  to  take  sugar  to  de  coast  to-morrow,  and  dose  two 
are  kept  for  Missy  and  Massa  Vetch." 

This  had  an  element  of  comfort  in  it,  for  if  we  could 
not  find  horses  for  ourselves,  neither  could  our  pursuers, 
save  these  two,  which  might  not  be  at  hand,  and  I  did  not 
doubt  we  could  outstrip  any  man  on  foot.  I  pointed  this 
out  to  the  negro,  and  when  he  replied  that  we  had  still  to 
reckon  with  the  dogs,  I  tried  to  hearten  him  by  showing 
that  some  time  must  elapse  before  the  beasts  could  be 
fetched  from  their  kennel  and  put  upon  the  scent.  And 
then  I  asked  him  whether  slaves  had  never  run  away  from 
the  estate  without  being  caught. 

"Not  when  old  Massa  was  alive,  nor  yet  when  Massa 
McTavish  was  de  boss;  but  some  did  run  'way  when 
Massa  Vetch  come,  and  dey  was  not  cotched." 

"Well,  then,  why  should  not  we  do  the  same  ?  Do  you 
know  where  they  hid  ?" 

"In  de  swamp  six  mile  'way,"  he  said.  "Yes,  dat  is  it," 
he  added,  with  a  new  eagerness  in  his  tone,  "we  will  run 
to  de  swamp.  I  never  thought  of  Massa  going  where  de 
niggers  go.  De  dogs  will  not  run  on  de  swamp,  'cos  dey 
'fraid  of  being  drownded." 

"Then  how  can  we  ?"  I  asked,  wondering. 

"I  know  all  about  dat,  Massa,"  he  said.  "De  slaves  what 
run  'way  dey  wear  swamp  shoes.  I  make  some  for  massa 
and  me,  and  den  if  we  get  dere  befo'  de  dogs  cotch  us,  we 
shall  be  safe." 

I  was  getting  desperately  uneasy  lest  our  whispered 
conversation,  which  had  lengthened  itself  out,  should  be 


268  HUMPHREY   BOLD 

heard  by  my  jailors.  So  I  now  brought  it  to  an  end  by 
reminding  Uncle  Moses  of  the  part  he  was  to  play  on  the 
morrow  and  giving  him  a  message  to  Mistress  Lucy. 

"Tell  her  that  with  God's  help  I  shall  be  free  to-morrow, 
and  beg  her  to  shut  herself  in  her  room,  and  see  no  one. 
If  mortal  man  can  save  her,  she  shall  be  saved." 

And  ere  I  went  to  sleep  I  prayed  very  fervently  that  all 
might  be  well  with  us  and  her. 

When  morning  broke,  I  was  conscious  of  a  great  agi- 
tation of  mind,  which  I  schooled  myself  to  hide  from  the 
eyes  of  my  guards,  forcing  myself  to  eat  the  breakfast  for 
which  I  had  no  appetite.  It  would  have  eased  me  to  pace 
up  and  down  my  room,  but  I  forbore  even  from  this,  so 
that  no  restlessness  might  provoke  their  curiosity  or  sus- 
picion. I  sat  for  hours  on  my  bed,  awaiting  the  time  for 
our  attempt.  The  men  brought  me  my  midday  meal :  one 
of  them  made  a  brutal  remark  on  my  pallor ;  and  then  the 
door  was  shut,  and  they  settled  themselves  to  their  usual 
siesta. 

'Twas  about  an  hour  later  when  I  heard  the  tube  pushed 
up  through  the  hole  in  the  floor.  Uncle  Moses  was  below. 
The  critical  moment  for  which  I  had  been  longing  was 
come,  and  my  limbs  trembled  uncontrollably,  as  they  had 
not  done  since  the  time  when  I  saw  my  first  sea-fight  on 
the  deck  of  the  Dolphin.  As  we  had  arranged,  I  allowed 
time  for  the  negro  to  mount  the  steps  and  come  through 
the  veranda  into  the  room  adjoining.  Then,  gathering 
my  strength,  I  took  three  strides  across  my  chamber  and 
dashed  my  right  shoulder  against  the  door.  It  flew  out- 
wards with  a  crash,  the  force  of  my  impact  being  such 
that  the  lock  tore  a  great  piece  out  of  the  jamb. 

I  rushed  blindly  into  the  next  room,  and  lost  a  few 
moments  in  the  endeavor  to  grasp  the  scene.  But  my 
jailors  lost  more,  for  the  crash  had  wakened  them  from  a 


I   MAKE   A   BID   FOR   LIBERTY         269 

sound  sleep,  and,  seamen  though  they  were,  the  event  was 
so  sudden  and  unexpected  that  they  were  taken  perfectly 
aback,  and  were  still  looking  about  them  in  a  dazed  be- 
wilderment when  Uncle  Moses  and  I  threw  ourselves 
upon  them.  We  got  them  just  as  they  were  staggering  to 
their  feet.  A  blow  from  my  fist  sent  one  spinning  against 
the  wall;  at  the  same  moment  the  negro,  whom  I  had 
barely  yet  seen,  caught  the  other  man  by  the  middle  and, 
by  a  feat  of  strength  which  amazed  me,  hurled  him 
through  the  doorway  into  the  room  I  had  just  quitted.  I 
hoped  they  were  stunned ;  we  could  not  wait  to  see,  and 
we  had  no  means  of  binding  them.  The  noise  must  have 
awakened  everybody  in  the  house ;  indeed,  I  heard  shouts 
from  the  rear;  no  doubt  the  overseer,  and  the  two  buc- 
caneers who  had  been  on  guard  during  the  night,  would  in 
a  few  moments  be  upon  the  scene.  Snatching  up  the 
men's  muskets  and  bandoliers  that  lay  on  a  bench  against 
the  wall,  we  dashed  into  the  veranda,  sprang  down  the 
steps,  and  made  off  across  the  plantation. 

We  had  not  run  a  hundred  yards  when  we  heard  a  bel- 
low behind  us,  and,  turning,  I  saw  a  man  at  the  head  of 
the  steps  lighting  the  match  for  his  musket.  I  was  pleased 
at  this,  for  it  would  give  us  another  hundred  yards'  start 
before  he  could  fire.  The  muskets  of  these  days  can  not 
boast  of  great  precision,  but  those  of  fifty  years  ago  were 
infinitely  more  cumbersome  and  clumsy,  so  that  I  did  not 
fear  he  would  hit  us,  unless  by  some  unlucky  chance.  And 
indeed,  when  his  weapon  flashed,  we  were  quite  two  hun- 
dred and  fifty  yards  away,  and  the  slug  went  very  wide. 
He  would  have  done  better,  I  thought,  to  pursue  us  at 
once  on  foot.  But  as  we  sped  on  side  by  side,  I  heard  a 
great  horn-blast  that  seemed  to  set  the  welkin  ablaze. 
'Twas  the  signal  that  a  slave  had  run  away,  and  I  could 
not  doubt  that  Vetch  would  immediately  suspect  what  had 


27Q  HUMPHREY   BOLD 

actually  happened.     Before  long,  beyond  question,  he 
would  be  hot  upon  our  traces. 

"How  far  to  the  forest  ?"  I  asked  of  the  negro. 

"More'n  a  mile,  massa,"  he  replied. 

And  then,  as  I  ran,  I  looked  more  closely  at  the  man 
whom  fate  had  made  my  comrade  in  this  desperate  adven- 
ture. He  was  an  older  man  than  I  had  expected;  very 
powerfully  made,  as  his  cast  of  the  buccaneer  had  proved ; 
but  his  hair  was  white,  and,  short  as  was  the  distance  we 
had  run,  I  could  see  that  he  would  soon  be  laboring  for 
breath.  But  it  was  two  miles  to  the  big  house,  as  he  had 
called  Mistress  Lucy's  abode,  and  I  did  not  despair  of 
reaching  the  edge  of  forest  land  before  Vetch  could  make 
up  on  us,  even  if  he  started  the  very  moment  he  heard  the 
alarm.  If  once  we  gained  the  forest,  we  might  perhaps 
blind  our  trail  in  a  stream,  and  so  gain  time  enough  for 
our  further  flight  to  the  swamp. 

We  were  running  on  a  broad  track  that  divided  the 
sugar  plantation,  and  here  and  there  negro  laborers  who 
had  been  roused  from  their  noontide  sleep  by  the  horn- 
blast  and  the  shot  rose  up  to  see  what  was  afoot.  None 
of  them  offered  to  interfere.  They  stared  at  us  for  the 
most  part  in  silence,  one  or  two  of  the  older  people  crying 
out  that  it  was  Uncle  Moses  on  the  run,  and  wondering 
at  his  companion  being  a  white  man.  I  took  little  note  of 
them,  for  I  was  already  anxious  on  behalf  of  the  old 
negro.  We  had  six  miles  to  go ;  could  he  hold  out  ?  'Twas 
two  miles  from  the  big  house  to  the  house  we  had  left ;  a 
horseman  could  cover  the  distance  in  little  longer  than  it 
would  take  us  to  reach  the  forest ;  and  then  we  should  have 
but  one  mile  start  in  a  race  of  six.  The  odds  were  heavily 
against  even  me,  in  strong  and  lusty  youth;  how  much 
more  heavily  against  Uncle  Moses,  who  was  perhaps  three 
times  my  age !  Already  I  was  slackening  my  pace  to  keep 


I   MAKE   A   BID    FOR   LIBERTY         271 

with  him.  And  we  were  cumbered  with  the  muskets  we 
had  seized — heavy  weapons,  and,  when  I  came  to  think  of 
it,  likely  to  prove  of  little  use  to  us,  for  we  could  not 
pause  in  the  race  to  light  matches,  nor,  once  they  were 
discharged,  should  we  have  time  to  recharge  them.  Yet  I 
dared  not  suggest  we  should  fling  them  down ;  they  were 
our  only  weapons  save  for  a  knife  that  Uncle  Moses  car- 
ried at  his  belt,  and  perchance  if  it  came  to  a  fight  at  close 
quarters  we  could  wield  them  with  some  effect  as  clubs. 
So  we  pounded  on,  saying  never  a  word,  I  husbanding  my 
breath,  the  negro  panting  hard. 

We  came  to  the  edge  of  the  forest  land  bordering  the 
estate,  and  when  we  had  plunged  into  it  for  some  little 
distance  Moses  was  fain  to  stop  to  recover  his  wind. 

"Dey  hab  not  started  yet,  massa,"  he  gasped. 

"How  do  you  know  ?"  I  asked. 

"  'Cos  dere  is  no  sound  of  de  dogs,"  he  replied. 

"Should  we  hear  them  three  miles  away  ?" 

"Oh,  yes,  massa;  de  wind  carry  de  sound  miles  and 
miles." 

"We  have  luck  on  our  side,  then.    Can  you  run  again  ?" 

"Yes,  massa.  Po'  Uncle  Moses  hain't  no  chicken  now, 
but  he  hain't  done  yet." 

And  then  we  set  off  again  through  the  forest,  at  a  more 
moderate  pace  now,  for  the  way  ran  no  longer  clear.  The 
word  "forest"  to  a  stay-at-home  means  a  tract  of  soft, 
springy  turf,  with  tall  trees  and  pleasant  glades  and 
clumps  of  bracken  that  shelter  rabbits  and  other  small 
creatures  of  the  woodland.  But  the  forest  of  the  West 
Indies  bears  to  our  English  forest  the  relation  of  a  giant 
to  a  dwarf.  The  fronds  of  the  bracken  grow  to  feet 
where  we  have  inches ;  weeds  that  with  us  would  shelter  a 
mouse  would  there  conceal  an  elephant;  and  a  creeping 
plant  which  in  England  would  delay  a  man  only  while  he 


272  HUMPHREY   BOLD 

kicked  its  tendrils  aside  grows  in  Jamaica  to  such  a 
strength  and  tanglement  that  it  would  obstruct  the  pas- 
sage of  a  troop  of  horse.  This  was  somewhat  in  our 
favor.  We  could  run  where  horses  might  not.  But  I 
took  little  comfort  from  this,  for  where  we  went  the  dogs 
would  certainly  follow.  And  we  had  not  gone  above  a 
mile,  as  I  reckoned,  when  the  howling  sound  came  to  our 
ears — a  deep-toned  baying,  faint  and  mellow,  stealing 
through  the  umbrageous  foliage  like  the  horns  of  some 
fairy  host.  The  hounds  had  found  our  scent. 

Uncle  Moses  groaned.  Doubtless  he  knew  full  well  the 
fate  of  unhappy  slaves  who  had  been  recaptured  in  flight. 
He  quickened  his  strides  for  some  yards,  then,  stopping, 
he  held  his  hand  to  his  side  and  begged  me  to  go  on  alone. 

"But  I  can  not,"  I  said.  "I  do  not  know  the  way ;  and 
besides,  I  will  not  leave  you.  Give  me  your  musket.  We 
have  still  a  good  start,  and  after  you  have  rested  a  little 
you  will  be  able  to  run  again." 

I  took  his  musket,  and  when  we  set  off  again  we  were 
lucky  to  come  upon  a  stream  swirling  athwart  our  track. 
We  stepped  into  this  and  walked  through  the  water  for 
some  distance,  until  we  had,  as  I  thought,  effectually 
blinded  our  trail.  And  no  doubt  it  was  so,  but  Uncle 
Moses  told  me  that  it  would  only  delay  our  pursuers  for 
a  little;  they  knew  the  direction  of  the  haven  for  which 
we  were  making,  and  even  if  the  dogs  were  at  fault  the 
horsemen  would  still  press  on.  We  wasted  no  more  time 
in  deflecting  from  our  course  for  any  such  vain  manceu- 
vers,  but  ran  straight  on. 

Alas!  the  old  man's  strength  was  failing.  He  stag- 
gered, and  but  for  my  arm  would  have  fallen.  I  think  his 
collapse  was  due  partly  to  terror,  for  the  baying  of  the 
hounds  was  growing  upon  our  ears;  the  pursuers  were 
gaining  fast  upon  us.  I  had  perforce  to  wait  patiently 


I  dreaded  the  appearance  of  the  pursuers.      Page  27 


I   MAKE   A   BID   FOR   LIBERTY         273 

until  the  poor  negro  had  somewhat  recovered,  and  mean- 
while the  deep-mouthed  baying  sounded  ever  nearer,  and 
the  precious  minutes  were  fleeting  by.  When  we  set  off 
once  more  'twas  at  little  above  a  walking  pace,  and  every 
moment  I  dreaded  the  appearance  of  the  pursuers  at  our 
heels.  And  I  noticed  with  alarm  that  the  forest  was  thin- 
ning ;  apparently  we  should  soon  reach  open  country,  and 
lose  what  little  advantage  we  had  in  being  out  of  our 
enemy's  sight.  I  asked  anxiously  whether  'twould  not  be 
better  for  us  to  turn  aside  into  the  thickets  and  try  to 
hide ;  peradventure  the  dogs  and  the  horsemen  would  go 
past.  But  the  negro  said  'twould  be  useless;  we  could 
not  deceive  the  dogs,  and  we  should  be  no  safer  than  rats 
in  a  barn. 

We  had  come  to  the  end  of  what  would  in  England  be 
called  a  glen — a  narrow  gorge,  with  shelving  banks  rising 
to  the  height  of  some  ninety  feet,  and  overgrown  with 
shrubs  and  creeping  plants.  No  doubt  in  the  rainy  season 
'twas  the  bed  of  a  torrent;  the  bottom  was  sandy  and 
pebbly,  and  hard  to  the  feet.  We  had  gone  but  a  little 
way  along  it  when  Uncle  Moses  sank  down,  and,  looking 
at  his  livid  face,  his  panting  nostrils  and  starting  eyes,  I 
feared  that  the  hand  of  death  was  upon  him.  'Twas  clear 
that  he  was  utterly  spent;  he  could  not  even  stagger  to 
the  farther  end  of  the  gorge ;  and  with  the  bitter  pangs  of 
despair  I  heard  the  fierce  baying  of  the  hounds,  and  had 
almost  resigned  myself  to  the  inevitable  end. 

I  glanced  round  to  see  whether  the  pursuers  were  in 
sight.  I  saw,  not  them,  but  something  which  flashed  a 
wild  hope  through  me.  Some  little  distance  back  a  tree 
hung  over  the  sandy  bottom,  its  roots  partially  laid  bare 
by  the  washing  of  the  stream  which  had  now  disappeared. 
The  trunk  was  inclined  at  a  sharp  angle ;  but  little  force 
would  be  needed,  I  thought,  to  topple  it  over  until  it  lay 


274  HUMPHREY    BOLD 

athwart  the  path  which  the  pursuers  must  follow.  Its 
foliage  was  thick,  and  though  I  did  not  flatter  myself 
'twould  put  an  end  to  the  pursuit,  I  thought  it  might 
serve  as  a  check,  and  enable  Uncle  Moses  to  gain  strength 
enough  for  a  last  attempt. 

Dropping  the  muskets  by  the  negro's  side,  I  ran  down 
the  gorge,  scrambled  up  the  bank  to  the  base  of  the  tree, 
and  swarmed  along  the  trunk  to  the  farthest  extremity. 
It  was  a  tall  tree,  of  a  kind  I  did  not  know,  and  my  weight 
upon  its  tapering  top  must  have  exerted  a  considerable 
force  upon  its  loosened  lower  end.  Catching  a  branch 
that  seemed  strong  enough  to  bear  me,  I  dropped  with  a 
jerk.  There  was  a  movement  of  the  trunk,  and  I  heard  a 
wrenching  sound  below,  but  the  roots  still  held  fast.  I 
climbed  up  again  with  the  quickness  I  had  learned  at  sea, 
and  again  threw  myself  down.  This  time  I  produced  the 
effect  I  desired ;  the  roots  gave  way,  and  in  a  moment  I 
found  myself  on  the  ground,  somewhat  scratched  and 
bruised,  but  sound  of  bone  and  limb.  The  fallen  tree  lay 
full  across  the  gorge,  its  foliage  completely  filling  the 
space,  save  for  a  narrow  gap  between  it  and  the  ground, 
through  which  a  man  or  a  dog  might  crawl,  but  not  a 
horse. 

I  ran  back  to  Uncle  Moses,  lifted  him  to  his  feet,  and, 
assisting  him  with  one  hand,  the  muskets  clasped  in  the 
other,  I  led  him  up  the  gorge  with  what  haste  I  might. 
We  had  gone  but  a  little  way  when  I  heard  the  shouts  of 
men  mingled  with  the  baying  of  the  hounds,  and  immedi- 
ately afterwards  these  latter  forced  their  way  beneath  the 
tree  and  ran  with  lolling  tongues  towards  us.  Knowing 
nothing  of  the  ways  of  bloodhounds,  I  expected  the  two 
dogs  would  fly  at  our  throats  like  foxhounds  at  a  fox,  and 


I   MAKE   A   BID    FOR   LIBERTY         275 

I  loosed  the  negro's  arm  and  stood  with  musket  upraised 
to  defend  myself  and  him.  But  to  my  surprise  Uncle 
Moses  called  to  them  by  name,  and  they  answered  him 
with  a  bark  and  fawned  on  him. 

"Dey  won't  hurt  us,"  he  said.  "Dey  nab  done  their 
work ;  dey  lub  po'  Uncle  Moses." 

"Will  they  come  with  us?"  I  asked,  with  wondering 
delight. 

"Dey  will  do  anyt'ing  for  Uncle  Moses,"  he  replied. 

"Then  let  us  get  away  into  the  forest  again  as  soon  as 
we  can,  and  take  them  with  us.  How  far  is  the  swamp 
now?" 

"  'Bout  a  mile,  Massa." 

"Come,  then ;  we  may  have  time  to  get  to  it  before  the 
men  can  overtake  us.  They  can  not  get  their  horses  over 
the  tree." 

And  we  made  off,  the  dogs  accompanying  us  willingly, 
in  spite  of  the  cries  and  calls  of  the  baffled  horsemen  on 
the  other  side  of  the  tree.  Issuing  from  the  gorge,  we 
struck  into  the  forest,  and  heard  our  pursuers  cursing  us 
and  the  dogs  as  they  tried  to  follow  us.  By  the  help  of 
my  arm  Uncle  Moses  managed  to  struggle  along,  and 
after  about  a  quarter  of  an  hour  we  came  to  the  edge  of 
the  swamp.  Then  he  took  from  his  back,  where  they  had 
been  strapped,  two  pairs  of  shoes  in  shape  similar  to  those 
which  our  trappers  in  America  adopted  from  the  Indians 
for  marching  over  snow,  but  slighter  and  shorter.  These 
we  donned,  the  negro  showing  me  how  to  fasten  mine, 
and  then  we  stepped  on  to  the  morass,  the  oozy  red  soil 
squelching  beneath  our  feet.  The  hounds  came  with  us 
for  a  few  yards,  but,  the  ground  becoming  softer  the 
farther  we  went  from  the  edge,  they  halted,  whined  as 


276  HUMPHREY   BOLD 

though  loath  to  part  from  friends,  and  then  ran  back  to 
meet  Vetch  and  one  of  his  buccaneers,  who  stood  helpless 
at  the  brink.  They  fired  at  us,  but  we  were  already  out  of 
range,  and  with  the  sound  of  their  execrations  still  in  our 
ears  we  trudged  slowly  but  steadily  towards  the  other  side 
of  the  swamp. 


CHAPTER   XXV 
i  SPEND  CLUDDE'S  CROWN-PIECE 

Thankful  as  I  was  for  my  wondrous  escape,  my  mind 
still  misgave  me,  both  as  to  our  own  ultimate  safety  and 
as  to  what  might  befall  Mistress  Lucy.  I  did  not  know 
the  extent  of  the  swamp,  and  maybe  Vetch  and  his  com- 
panion would  go  back  for  their  horses  and,  circling  round 
it,  circumvent  us.  Uncle  Moses  relieved  my  fears  on  this 
score,  telling  me  that,  while  the  swamp  was  little  more 
than  half  a  mile  across,  it  stretched  laterally  for  several 
miles,  and  we  should  reach  the  haven  whither  we  were 
making  long  before  the  swiftest  horses  could  complete 
the  circuit.  On  the  other  point,  the  well-being  of  Mistress 
Lucy,  he  could  give  me  no  reassurance.  'Twas  Wednes- 
day :  she  came  of  age  to-morrow ;  even  if  Vetch  was  not 
aware  of  this,  but  believed  that  Friday,  the  day  of  her 
birthday  celebrations,  was  the  actual  birthday,  it  gave  us 
terribly  little  time  to  concert  any  movements  on  her  be- 
half. And  so  my  joy  of  having  recovered  my  freedom 
was  tempered  by  uneasiness. 

It  was  heavy  going,  across  this  sagging  morass.  Uncle 
Moses  told  me  that  we  were  in  no  danger  of  sinking  into 
it  so  long  as  we  took  short  and  rapid  steps ;  but  we  were 
both  mightily  fatigued,  and  my  feet  as  I  lifted  them 
seemed  heavy  as  lead.  The  negro  was  in  far  worse  case 
than  I,  and  had  I  not  grasped  him  firmly  by  the  arm  and 
fairly  pulled  him  along,  I  think  he  would  never  have 
gained  the  other  side.  Towards  the  middle  the  surface 

277 


278  HUMPHREY   BOLD 

of  the  swamp  was  nothing  but  liquid  ooze,  and  once  or 
twice,  in  spite  of  our  swamp  shoes,  we  sank  in  it  up  to  the 
ankles.  But  at  length  we  reached  more  solid  ground; 
then  Uncle  Moses  said  we  must  strike  off  to  the  right,  and 
after  a  tramp  of  two  miles  or  thereabouts  we  should  come 
to  a  well-concealed  spot  where  he  had  no  doubt  we  should 
find  fugitives  of  his  color. 

As  we  neared  the  place  he  put  his  fingers  to  his  mouth 
and  blew  a  whistle  of  three  quick  notes  that  reminded  me 
of  the  piping  of  a  thrush.  And  immediately  I  started 
back :  a  black  man  had  risen  almost  from  beneath  our  feet. 
So  well  hidden  was  he  in  a  low-growing  bush  that  we 
might  have  passed  within  a  yard  of  him  and  been  none  the 
wiser.  I  perceived  that  he  carried  a  long  knife  in  his 
hand. 

"Hi,  Sam !"  said  Uncle  Moses,  stepping  in  advance  of 
me.  I  stood  leaning  on  one  of  the  muskets  while  the  two 
men  spoke  together  in  tones  too  low  to  reach  my  ears. 
But  I  knew  from  his  gestures  and  his  manner  of  looking 
at  me  that  the  stranger  was  loath  to  comply  with  the  re- 
quest Uncle  Moses  was  putting  to  him.  His  demeanor 
said,  as  plainly  as  words,  that  he  distrusted  me ;  I  was  a 
white  man,  and  doubtless  the  poor  runagate  had  too  much 
reason  to  regard  all  white  men  as  his  enemies.  But  Uncle 
Moses  took  him  by  the  arm  and  appeared  to  plead  with 
him ;  and  by  and  by  the  man  left  us  and  went  away. 

"Him  gone  to  ask  his  brudders  if  we  may  go  where  dey 
are,"  said  Uncle  Moses,  coming  to  my  side.  Then  he 
flung  himself  on  the  ground  and  lay  at  full  length  upon 
his  face,  with  his  arms  outstretched  in  an  attitude  of  utter 
prostration.  I  sat  down  by  him,  clasping  my  knees,  and 
mused  with  downbent  head. 

After  what  seemed  a  long  while  the  negro  returned  and 
told  us  that  we  might  accompany  him.  He  led  us  back 


I    SPEND    CLUDDE'S    CROWN-PIECE     279 

toward  the  swamp,  threading  his  way  through  the  rank 
vegetation  along  an  invisible  path  that  wound  about  like 
the  coils  of  a  snake  in  most  bewildering  wise.  But  it  was 
firm  to  the  tread,  and  his  bare  feet  had  no  need  of  swamp 
shoes.  Finally  we  came  to  a  little  island  copse  slightly 
above  the  general  level,  and  there,  well  screened  from 
view,  we  found  a  group  of  about  a  dozen  negroes.  They 
had  constructed  for  themselves  little  huts  of  grass  and 
branches  of  trees,  and  in  the  midst  a  pot  was  boiling  on  a 
fire  of  sticks.  They  cried  a  greeting  to  Uncle  Moses,  and 
I  was  not  a  little  amazed  when  one  of  them  came  grinning 
up  to  me  and  said : 

"Massa  Bold,  we  bofe  free  now.  Huh !  dat  debbil  neb- 
ber  cotch  us  no  mo'." 

'Twas  Jacob,  the  man  who  had  escorted  me  from  Span- 
ish Town  and  been  captured  with  me.  He  told  me  that  he 
had  been  put  to  work  in  the  plantation,  but  had  run  away 
on  the  second  day,  along  with  another  man. 

"Dat  him  ober  dere,"  he  said,  pointing  to  a  burly,  pleas- 
ant-featured negro  who  was  in  close  conversation  with 
Moses.  "Dat  Noah !  Ah !  he  hab  drefful  time — pufeckly 
drefful,  'cos  he  help  Missy." 

"What  did  he  do?"  I  asked,  feeling  a  most  friendly 
disposition  towards  a  man  who  had  done  anything  for 
Lucy. 

"She  want  to  run  away  too,"  he  said ;  "ebery  one  want 
to  run  away.  She  got  on  horse,  and  Noah  was  leading 
her  round  about,  but  dey  cotched  him,  and  den,  oh,  lor', 
didn't  dey  jest  beat  him !  Say,  Noah,  show  Massa  Bold 
your  po'  back." 

The  man  left  Uncle  Moses,  and,  coming  to  me,  turned 
about  (he  was  naked  to  the  waist)  and  displayed  to  my 
sickened  gaze  a  score  of  long,  raw  wounds  upon  his  back. 
They  had  begun  to  heal;  I  learned  that  his  companions 


280  HUMPHREY    BOLD 

had  anointed  them  with  grease,  and  plastered  them  with 
leaves  from  a  plant  that  grew  abundmtly  in  the  forest. 

"Dat  is  what  Massa  Vetch  do,"  he  said  with  a  dark 
look,  "and  his  friend  he  look  on  and  cry  to  him  to  gib  me 
mo'.  He  say,  teach  me  a  lesson,  and  I  learn  it — oh,  yes,  I 
learn  it.  And  now  I  show  how  to  teach  lesson  back." 
His  pleasant  face  was  darkened  with  a  glare  of  utter  sav- 
agery. "Black  man  can  teach  jest  as  good  as  white. 
Come  'long  o'  me,  massa ;  I  show  massa  somet'ing." 

Wondering,  I  followed  him  past  the  huts,  through  the 
copse,  into  a  little  clearing,  when  I  saw  a  white  man 
stripped  to  the  shirt  and  tightly  bound  to  a  tree. 

"Dat  is  him !"  cried  Noah  excitedly.  "Dat  is  de  white 
debbil  what  say  gib  me  mo'.  I  teach  him  lesson :  he  neb- 
ber  want  no  mo'." 

His  tone  already  sent  a  shiver  through  me,  but  as  he 
went  on  to  explain  the  nature  of  the  lesson  he  intended,  I 
shuddered  with  horror. 

"Dis  berry  night  we  burn  him  up !"  he  cried.  "Massa 
Bold  see  ?  We  tie  him  up  to  de  bough  of  de  tree,  and  we 
light  a  lill  fire,  jest  a  lill  one,  and  first  it  warm  his  feet, 
and  den  it  get  bigger,  and  creep  up  and  up,  and  bimeby  it 
come  to  his  head,  and  den  he  burn  all  up.  Oh,  yes ;  dat  is 
a  proper  lesson  for  white  debbils  to  learn !" 

"You  will  not  do  anything  so  horrible !"  I  murmured. 

"Hobbible !  Hain't  my  back  hobbible  ?  He  laugh  when 
he  see  ole  whip  come  whisk !  whisk !  on  my  po'  back ; 
well,  den,  I  laugh  when  I  see  de  fire  go  creep,  creep,  and 
when  I  hear  him  holler.  Oh,  yes,  it  will  be  a  proper  les- 
son, no  mistake  'bout  it." 

And  then  the  poor  bound  wretch,  whose  head  was  hang- 
ing forward  as  though  he  were  already  in  extremis,  lifted 
his  eyes  and  saw  me. 

"Bold!     Humphrey  Bold!"  he  shrieked  in  a  harsh, 


I    SPEND    CLUDDE'S    CROWN-PIECE     281 

gasping  whisper.  "Save  me !  Save  me  from  these  mon- 
sters !" 

I  started  forward,  scarce  believing  my  eyes.  In  the 
pinched,  haggard  features  of  the  man  who  was  lashed  to 
the  tree  I  recognized  my  old  enemy,  my  whilom  school- 
fellow, Dick  Cludde. 

"Save  me !    Save  me !"  he  cried  again  and  again. 

"For  God's  sake,  loose  him!"  I  cried,  turning  to  the 
negro.  God  knows  Cludde  had  done  me  harm  enough ; 
but  for  the  working  of  a  gracious  Providence  he  had 
ruined  my  life ;  but  all  remembrance  of  this  fled  from  me 
as  I  beheld  his  pitiful  plight  and  mortal  terror,  and  heard 
his  altered  voice  screaming  for  mercy. 

"I  know  him;  he  was  once  a  friend  of  mine,"  I  cried, 
and  God  forgive  me  the  lie.  "Let  him  go ;  don't  torture 
him  any  longer." 

Noah  laughed  in  my  face. 

"What  for  me  let  him  go  ?"  he  said.  "  'Cos  he  is  a 
white  man  ?  He  is  a  white  debbil ;  he  shall  hab  his  lesson." 

"Bu,t  it  is  murder.    You  would  not  murder  him?" 

"And  he  murder  me !  De  whip  cut  me  twenty  times, 
and  if  I  die,  what  den  ?  Noah  is  only  a  black  man :  it  is 
not  murder  to  kill  a  black  man !  Dey  kill  me :  I  lib  for 
teach  him  lesson." 

"Let  him  go,"  I  cried,  "and  I  will  give  you  money — 
twenty  dollars." 

"No!" 

"Thirty—forty  dollars !" 

"No!" 

"Forty  dollars  is  a  great  big  lot,"  said  Uncle  Moses, 
who  had  joined  us  and  saw  my  desperate  eagerness  to 
save  the  man. 

"No !"  said  Noah  again,  his  mouth  tightening  with  in- 
flexible determination. 


282  HUMPHREY   BOLD 

"Uncle  Moses,"  I  said,  "can't  you  bend  him?  I  will 
give  anything  if  he  will  but  spare  the  man.  I  am  a  king's 
officer ;  you  know  that  what  I  promise  I  will  do ;  and  he  is 
your  mistress'  cousin." 

"Noah,  my  son,"  said  the  old  negro,  "listen  to  Massa. 
S'pose  you  burn  de  white  man,  what  good  to  you?  He 
die,  ob  course,  and  nebber  can  do  nuffin'  to  black  mans  no 
mo' ;  but  you  will  only  be  pleased  a  lill  tiny  while,  and 
if  you  let  him  go  you  gwine  hab  dollars  what  will  last 
long,  long  time." 

"No !"  returned  Noah.  "I  will  teach  him  lesson,  and  be 
pleased  for  ebber  and  ebber." 

And  he  walked  away  and  began  to  gather  up  some 
sticks  and  carry  them  to  the  tree  where  Cludde,  utterly 
exhausted,  seemed  to  have  fainted  away. 

I  asked  Moses  what  sum  would  purchase  Noah's  free- 
dom, ready  to  spend  my  last  penny  to  prevent  the  hideous 
scene  for  which  preparation  was  being  made.  He  told 
me  five  hundred  dollars,  and  I  bade  him  go  to  Noah  and 
premise  that  the  money  should  be  his  as  soon  as  I  got 
back  to  Spanish  Town.  He  returned  downcast  from  his 
mission. 

"He  say  dat  is  all  talk,"  he  said.  "It  is  for  bimeby,  but 
he  want  rebenge  now;  black  man  don't  fink  nuffin'  ob 
bimeby." 

"But  can't  we  give  him  something  now  as  earnest  of 
what  is  to  come  ?  There  are  our  muskets ;  they  will  be 
useful  to  him,  and  are  worth  some  dollars ;  offer  them  to 
him,  and  assure  him  on  the  word  of  an  Englishman  that 
he  shall  have  the  price  of  his  freedom  as  soon  as  ever  I 
can  get  back  to  my  friends." 

He  went  away  with  this  message,  but  came  back  again 
unsuccessful. 

"He  say  hab  plenty  guns,  and  what  good  guns  widout 


I   SPEND   CLUDDE'S   CROWN-PIECE     283 

any  powder  and  shots?  He  hain't  got  no  powder;  de 
guns  hain't  worth  more'n  old  sticks.  Hain't  Massa  got 
no  money  ?  If  he  seed  de  look  of  silver,  now,  dat  would 
be  somet'ing  'spectable." 

But  my  pockets  were  empty ;  all  my  money  had  been 
taken  by  the  buccaneers.  And  then,  with  a  start  of  recol- 
lection, I  remembered  the  crown-piece  that  hung  by  a 
riband  about  my  neck,  and  with  the  thought  a  flash  of 
inspiration  shot  through  my  mind.  I  ran  forward  to  the 
spot  where  Noah  was  already  heaping  the  sticks  for  the 
fire,  and,  tearing  open  my  shirt,  I  displayed  the  silver  coin. 

"Look,  Noah,"  I  cried,  "you  shall  have  this,  and  five 
hundred  dollars  beside  by  and  by.  Listen  while  I  tell  you 
about  it." 

And  then  I  told  how,  ever  since  I  had  worn  that  coin 
about  my  neck,  I  had  had  the  best  of  good  fortune.  It 
had  brought  me  friends,  and  raised  me  from  a  lowly  posi- 
tion. I  had  been  imprisoned  and  escaped ;  I  had  been  shot 
at,  without  scathe.  I  had  gained  what  I  prized  most  in 
all  the  world.  I  fear  I  exaggerated ;  certainly  I  had  never 
before  ascribed  any  talismanic  power  to  the  coin  which  I 
had  kept  for  no  other  purpose  than  to  humiliate  the  man 
who  had  humiliated  me.  But  in  this  extremity  I  saw  the 
possibility  of  working  on  the  negro's  superstitious  mind, 
and  I  would  have  racked  my  invention  to  give  the  piece 
the  most  marvelous  virtues  under  heaven. 

But  I  had  said  enough.  With  a  stare  of  wonderment 
Noah  took  the  coin  in  his  hand,  turned  it  over,  examined 
it,  handled  it  as  though  it  was  a  sacred  object.  I  lifted 
the  string  from  my  neck. 

"There,  take  it ;  'tis  yours,"  I  said,  handing  it  to  him, 
and  then,  by  a  happy  afterthought,  I  myself  slipped  it 
over  the  negro's  head.  He  saw  the  white  coin  lying  on 
his  dusky  breast,  a  smile  overspread  his  face,  most  won- 


284  HUMPHREY    BOLD 

drously  obliterating  all  the  lines  of  malice  and  hate ;  and 
then,  turning  swiftly,  he  went  to  the  tree,  with  me  at  his 
heels,  and  cut  the  cords. 

Cludde  fell  fainting  into  my  arms,  and  as  I  laid  him  on 
the  ground  and  begged  for  water  (not  a  drop  had  passed 
his  lips  for  thirty-six  hours),  I  wondered  whether  he 
would  ever  know  how  I  had  paid  the  stored-up  interest  I 
had  vowed  to  pay. 


CHAPTER  XXVI 

WE  HOLD  A  COUNCIL  OF  WAR 

For  some  time  I  was  in  doubt  whether  the  agonies 
Cludde  had  suffered  would  not  prove  fatal.  He  lay  long 
unconscious,  and  when  his  eyes  at  last  opened  he  shrieked 
aloud,  with  so  wild  a  look  in  his  eyes  that  I  feared  his 
reason  was  gone.  But  I,  who  had  not  left  his  side  since 
he  was  loosed  from  the  tree,  spoke  to  him  quietly,  assur- 
ing him  that  he  was  safe,  and  gave  him  water  to  drink, 
and  by  and  by  he  was  soothed  to  quietude  and  slept  like 
a  tired  child.  And  then  I  lay  beside  him,  worn  out  with 
the  stress  and  agitations  of  this  long  day,  and  together 
(strange  chance!)  we  who  had  been  mortal  enemies  found 
repose  on  the  bosom  of  mother  earth. 

Night  came  down  upon  us,  and  the  stars  were  blinking 
in  the  dark  vault  above  when  we  awoke.  Uncle  Moses 
brought  us  food, — birds  the  negroes  had  snared  and 
roasted,  and  root  plants  they  had  grubbed  up ;  and  as  we 
ate  we  talked. 

"Bold,"  said  Cludde  huskily,  "you've  returned  good 
for  evil.  You  don't  want  my  thanks ;  you  hate  me." 

"I  wonder  if  I  do/'  I  said,  and  pondering  the  matter,  I 
came  to  the  conclusion  that  I  rather  despised  than  hated 
him ;  but  I  did  not  tell  him  so.  "How  did  you  come  to 
this  strait?"  I  asked  him. 

"I  came  up  to  see  Lucy,  and  happened  to  arrive  just 
after  that  nigger  had  been  caught.  Vetch  was  flogging 

285 


286  HUMPHREY   BOLD 

him,  told  me  he  was  an  insolent  and  lazy  scoundrel,  and 
I  agreed  he  ought  to  be  taught  a  lesson — " 

"Even  if  it  killed  him,"  I  interrupted. 

"Why,  he's  only  a  black  fellow,"  said  Cludde. 

"And  black  fellows  are  flesh  and  blood,  like  you  and 
me." 

"But  they  haven't  our  feelings ;  come  now,  you  won't 
say  that?" 

I  would  not  argue  with  him,  and  he  went  on — 

"I  came  to  the  house,  and  Lucy  refused  to  see  me.  I 
hated  you  then,  Bold;  Vetch  told  me  that  you  had  been 
up,  and  I  guessed  you  had  put  a  spoke  in  my  wheel." 

"I  never  saw  Mistress  Lucy,"  I  said. 

"What?  Why,  Vetch  told  me  that  you  had  proposed 
to  her,  and  been  sent  away  with  a  flea  in  your  ear." 

"That  was  a  lie.  But  go  on :  I  will  tell  you  about  my- 
self presently." 

"Well,  I  plucked  up  courage  to  go  to  the  house  again, 
and  this  time  I  was  admitted  and  saw  Lucy,  and  by 
heaven,  Bold,  I  had  no  inkling  of  what  had  been  going 
on." 

"You  might  have  guessed,  knowing  Vetch,  whom  your 
own  father  had  sent  out  here,"  I  said. 

"But  not  for  this,"  he  said  eagerly.  "I  beg  you  to  be- 
lieve me,  Bold.  I  know  there  is  much  against  me,  but 
after  that  business  at  the  turnpike  I  told  Vetch  I  would 
countenance  no  more  tricks  of  that  sort — though  I  own 
I  helped  to  arrange  your  kidnapping  at  Bristowe." 

"  'Twas  an  insult  to  Mistress  Lucy  to  send  Vetch  out 
here,"  I  said,  refusing  to  compromise  on  this  matter. 
"But  go  on,  let  me  hear  how  you  came  to  this." 

"Lucy  told  me  what  tricks  Vetch  had  been  playing,  and 
begged  me  to  help  her  to  get  away  from  him,  and  burst 
into  tears,  and  I  can't  stand  a  woman's  tears.  I  sought 


WE   HOLD  A   COUNCIL   OF  WAR       287 

Vetch,  and  I  told  him  that  he  had  gone  too  far,  and  bade 
him  remember  that,  whether  she  married  me  or  not,  she 
is  my  cousin,  and  I  wouldn't  have  her  worried.  'You've 
got  my  father's  power  of  attorney/  I  said  to  him,  'but 
that  don't  authorize  you  to  do  what  you  are  doing.'  And 
then  the  scoundrel  rounded  on  me,  and  asked  me  with  his 
infernal  sneer  what  I  thought  he  had  come  out  to  Jamaica 
for,  and  then,  by  heaven,  Bold,  he  said  that  he  was  go- 
ing to  marry  Lucy  himself !" 

At  this  I  broke  into  a  shout  of  laughter,  the  idea  seemed 
so  ridiculous;  but  my  mirth  gave  place  to  a  hot  fit  of 
anger  when  I  remembered  that  the  fellow  had  Lucy  in 
his  power. 

"I  laughed,  too,"  said  Cludde,  "but  'tis  no  laughing 
matter.  The  villain  has  a  parson  to  his  hand — a  besotted 
Cambridge  fellow  who  has  sunk  to  buccaneering  with  the 
pretty  crew  Vetch  has  about  him.  I  said  I'd  see  him 
hanged  first ;  I've  been  sick  of  the  fellow  this  long  time ; 
and  then  he  threatened  me,  and  in  his  blazing  temper  told 
me  about  the  will  which  he  stole — " 

"You  didn't  know  it  ?"  I  cried,  astonished. 

"Why,  I'm  not  a  saint,  Bold,"  he  said,  "but  I'm  not  so 
bad  as  that.  Vetch  told  Sir  Richard  that  his  uncle  had 
burned  the  will  among  some  old  papers  by  mistake,  and 
was  afraid  to  confess  it,  but  he  tells  me  now  'twas  he 
stole  it  and  hid  it,  and  says  that  if  I  attempt  to  interfere 
with  him  he'll  produce  it  and  turn  us  out  of  our  property 
— which  is  yours,  Bold ;  and  swear  that  he  stole  it  at  Sir 
Richard's  request.  And  then  I  called  him  a  villain  to  his 
face,  and  said  I  would  go  instantly  back  to  Spanish  Town 
and  proclaim  him  for  the  scoundrel  he  is,  and  he  laughed 
and  said  I  should  never  get  there  alive.  But  his  horse 
was  standing  by;  he  had  just  come  in  from  riding;  and 
before  he  knew  what  I  was  about  I  was  in  the  saddle  and 


288  HUMPHREY   BOLD 

galloped  off.  In  my  hurry  I  took  the  wrong  road.  The 
horse  carried  me  into  the  forest  and  stumbled  over  a  root, 
and  down  I  went,  and  lay  dazed  for  a  time,  and  when  I 
got  up  I  wandered  about,  utterly  lost,  and  fell  among 
these  niggers.  You  know  the  rest." 

I  fell  silent,  thinking  of  Vetch's  villainy,  and  of  the  ex- 
tremity of  peril  in  which  Lucy  lay.  That  she  would  will- 
ingly wed  him  I  did  not  for  a  moment  believe;  but  in 
her  helpless  position  I  feared  what  she  might  be  compelled 
to  do  under  constraint. 

"I  know  we  have  treated  you  very  ill,"  said  Cludde. 

"I  was  not  thinking  of  that,"  I  said,  interrupting  him. 
"You  can  make  amends,  Cludde." 

"And  I  will,  Bold,  on  my  honor  I  will,  as  soon  as  ever 
we  get  back  to  England." 

"Before  then,"  I  said.  "  Twill  be  too  late  then.  You 
must  help  me  to  save  Mistress  Lucy." 

"But  what  can  we  do  ?    Her  birthday  is  on  Friday — " 

"On  Friday?"  I  said,  to  test  his  knowledge. 

"Yes,  Vetch  told  me  so.  She  will  be  of  age  then,  and 
even  supposing  we  could  escape  his  people  we  could  not 
get  to  Spanish  Town  and  back  in  time.  I  only  wish  we 
could  do  something.  I  would  give  a  great  deal  to  see 
Vetch  get  his  deserts." 

"We  must  get  help  from  Spanish  Town:  we  must  do 
something  ourselves — you  and  I  and  the  niggers.  We 
must  attack  the  house." 

"  Tis  impossible.  He  has  a  score  of  cut-throat  ruffians 
in  his  pay." 

"At  the  house?" 

"A  dozen  or  so  at  the  house,  the  rest  about  the  planta- 
tions and  on  the  road,  to  guard  against  surprise  from 
Spanish  Town  or  any  of  the  settlements." 

"Will  you  help  me  loyally,  if  I  can  find  some  means  of 


WE   HOLD   A   COUNCIL   OF   WAR       289 

rescuing  Lucy?"  I  asked,  for  Cludde's  attitude  to  me 
was  so  altered  that  I  was  not  without  suspicion  of  his 
sincerity. 

"With  all  my  heart ;  but  we  can  do  nothing." 

"At  present  I  see  no  way,"  I  sorrowfully  admitted; 
"but  help  her  we  must.     Good  heavens !     Can  we  leave ' 
her  at  his  mercy,  and  not  make  an  effort  on  her  behalf? 
We  may  fail,  but  let  us  at  least  do  what  men  may  do." 

Then  Cludde  made  me  tell  him  what  had  happened  to 
me.  He  fell  asleep  before  I  had  finished  my  story,  but  I 
lay  for  long  hours  pondering  this  baffling  problem,  and 
wishing  that  I  had  Joe  Punchard  and  my  messmates  of 
the  Dolphin  instead  of  negroes,  whom  I  could  scarce 
trust.  'Twas  clear,  as  Cludde  had  said,  that  we  were  no 
match  for  the  ruffians  whom  Vetch  had  about  him;  in 
open  fight  we  should  be  worsted,  and  maybe  hasten  the 
very  catastrophe  I  dreaded.  Even  if  we  should  attempt  a 
surprise  by  night  I  could  not  hope  for  success,  for  the 
least  check  would  turn  the  negroes  into  a  pack  of  howling 
cowards.  We  could  only  succeed  by  a  ruse,  and  though 
I  cudgelled  my  brains  until  all  my  thoughts  were  in  a 
whirl  I  could  invent  no  plan  which  had  the  least  promise. 
And  it  was  Wednesday  night!  If  we  had  not  rescued 
Mistress  Lucy  within  forty-eight  hours  I  had  a  strong 
presentiment  that  'twould  be  too  late. 

I  sank  at  last  into  a  sleep  of  sheer  exhaustion.  When 
I  awoke,  day  had  dawned,  and  with  the  return  to  con- 
sciousness there  came  a  sudden  recollection  of  something 
told  me  by  Uncle  Moses — something  that  explained  the 
fact  that  only  two  horsemen  had  ridden  in  pursuit  of  us. 
All  the  horses  of  the  estate  had  been  employed  in  convey- 
ing sugar  to  Dry  Harbor.  They  had  been  gone  a  day; 
when  would  they  return?  I  sprang  up  in  haste  to  get  an 


290  HUMPHREY   BOLD 

answer  to  this  question;  for  on  it  depended  the  chances 
of  a  plot  which  had  flashed  upon  my  mind.  Uncle  Moses 
told  me  that,  if  the  usual  course  were  followed,  the 
wagons  would  return  on  Friday,  either  empty,  or  with 
loads  of  salt  fish,  which  formed  the  staple  of  the  negro's 
food.  I  asked  what  men  would  accompany  the  convoy, 
and  learned  that  the  wagoners  were  negroes,  and  that  one 
or  two  white  men  would  be  in  charge. 

This  information  threw  a  ray  of  hope  upon  my  dark 
forebodings.  If  we  could  but  win  to  a  position  where 
the  returning  convoy  might  be  intercepted,  I  made  no 
doubt  we  could  overpower  the  white  men — overseers  of 
the  plantations;  as  to  the  negro  drivers,  I  held  them  of 
little  account.  There  was  one  possible  danger:  that  the 
customary  escort  might  be  augmented  by  some  of  Vetch's 
buccaneers.  But  I  saw  no  likelihood  of  this,  for  however 
careful  Vetch  might  be  in  his  watch  over  Mistress  Lucy, 
he  would  have  no  reason  to  be  specially  vigilant  over  the 
conduct  of  the  ordinary  operations  of  the  estate. 

The  question  was,  could  we  by  any  means  come  unob- 
served at  a  place  where  the  wagons  could  be  intercepted  ? 
I  put  it  to  Uncle  Moses,  who  answered  me  readily  enough, 
not  seeing  the  drift  of  it.  If  we  crossed  the  swamp,  and 
retraced  our  way  through  the  forest,  we  could  skirt  the 
whole  length  of  the  plantation  without  fear  of  being  dis- 
covered until  we  arrived  within  a  very  short  distance  of 
the  road  to  Spanish  Town.  We  should  then  have  to  cross 
the  road  in  the  open,  but  having  crossed  it,  we  should 
come  in  less  than  a  furlong  to  another  clump  of  wood- 
land, and  passing  through  this,  avoiding  the  plantain 
groves  which  filled  that  portion  of  the  estate,  we  should 
reach  the  rough  track  leading  to  Dry  Harbor,  at  a  point 
about  three  miles  from  the  big  house.  'Twas  a  round  in 


WE   HOLD   A   COUNCIL   OF   WAR       291 

all  of  some  twenty-five  miles,  and,  as  Uncle  Moses  assured 
me,  if  we  were  reasonably  cautious  we  should  run  no 
risks  save  at  the  crossing  of  the  road. 

In  great  elation  of  spirit  I  now  took  into  consultation 
Cludde,  with  Uncle  Moses,  Noah,  and  Jacob,  all  of  whom 
I  felt  I  could  trust,  because  all  had  suffered.  I  told  them 
what  I  proposed,  and  whether  it  was  the  story  I  had  told 
of  the  wondrous  good  fortune  that  had  befallen  me 
through  the  crown-piece,  or  whether  their  own  native 
courage  and  their  thirst  for  revenge,  that  influenced 
them,  I  know  not ;  but  certain  it  is  that  the  negroes  agreed 
at  once  to  follow  my  lead.  Considering  then  how  the 
rest  of  my  party  should  be  made  up,  I  decided,  with  the 
assent  of  Uncle  Moses,  to  take  only  two  more  men,  these 
being  all  who  had  fled  from  the  Cludde  estate.  I  thought 
it  better  that  none  but  those  who  had  a  personal  interest 
in  the  welfare  of  Mistress  Lucy,  and  who  had  reason  to 
deplore  the  iron  rule  of  Vetch,  should  be  enlisted  in  the 
enterprise.  The  sixth  and  seventh  members  of  the  expe- 
dition having  been  brought  into  the  council,  we  talked 
over  the  details  of  the  scheme  so  far  as  we  could  foresee 
them.  My  general  plan  was  to  surprise  the  convoy,  to 
conceal  ourselves — myself  and  Cludde — in  one  of  the 
wagons,  and,  thus  gaining  the  house  unsuspected,  to  steal 
our  way  in  and  then  act  as  chance  might  order. 

Since  we  knew  not  how  we  might  be  taxed  if  we  should 
succeed  in  reaching  the  house,  and  a  march  of  twenty- 
five  miles  in  the  heat  of  the  day  would  greatly  impair 
our  energies,  we  decided  to  set  off  at  once  (this  being 
Thursday),  and  spend  the  night  in  the  forest  at  a  spot  not 
far  distant  from  the  road.  The  negroes  by  themselves 
would  never  have  consented  to  this  plan,  so  great  was 
their  dread  of  bugaboos,  but  they  derived  courage  from 


292  HUMPHREY   BOLD 

the  companionship  of  white  men,  and,  to  stiffen  their  res- 
olution, I  told  them  how,  when  wearing  the  crown-piece 
about  my  neck,  I  had  escaped  by  night  with  nine  compan- 
ions from  a  place  with  stone  walls  ten  feet  thick.  This 
impressed  them  greatly,  Noah  in  particular;  and  in  the 
evening,  when  we  halted  for  our  bivouac  in  the  forest,  he 
came  to  me  holding  the  string  on  which  the  coin  was  sus- 
pended, and  put  it  into  my  hand,  saying : 

"Dis  white  man's  duppy.  Massa  hab  it  dis  time ;  Massa 
got  through  stone  wall,  get  through  anything.  Den  I 
hab  it  again  when  Massa  done  wid  it." 

I  smiled  and  was  hesitating  whether  to  sling  it  round 
my  neck  or  to  give  it  back  when  Cludde  asked  me  what 
was  the  meaning  of  this  strange  talk.  As  I  did  not  answer 
at  once,  Uncle  Moses  broke  in. 

"Massa  gib  dat  silver  so  dat  you  not  be  burned,  sah. 
Noah  will  hab  eber  so  much  more  bimeby,  'nuff  to  buy 
him  free,  sah." 

Cludde  looked  at  me  inquiringly. 

"  Tis  true,  Cludde,"  I  said.    "I  had  to  buy  you  off." 

"But  I  don't  understand,"  he  said.    "A  crown-piece  ?" 

"Oh !"  said  I,  feeling  a  little  uneasy  lest  he  should  probe 
this  matter  of  the  crown-piece  too  far,  "the  negro  has  the 
mind  of  a  child.  The  price  of  his  freedom  is  five  hundred 
dollars :  he  wouldn't  take  my  word  for  that  sum,  but  the 
sight  of  a  coin  was  enough." 

"But  you  told  me  the  buccaneers  stripped  you  of  your 
money,"  he  said,  with  a  look  of  puzzlement. 

"So  they  did,  but  I  happened  to  have  this  crown-piece 
slung  about  my  neck  under  my  shirt,  and  it  escaped  their 
attention." 

"Egad,  I  should  never  have  believed  you  were  super- 


WE   HOLD    A   COUNCIL   OF   WAR       293 

stitious,"  he  said  with  a  laugh,  and  I  laughed  back,  glad 
enough  that  I  had  escaped  further  interrogation.  I  re- 
turned the  coin  to  Noah,  assuring  him  that  I  had  no  fur- 
ther need  of  it,  and  he  went  away  well  pleased,  assured 
of  the  protection  of  the  white  man's  duppy — the  token  of 
the  good  spirits  which  he  venerates  as  much  as  he  fears 
the  bugaboos. 

I  was  not  to  get  off  after  all.  When  we  lay  side  by 
side  on  the  grass,  Cludde  was  for  a  long  time  silent ;  then 
he  said  abruptly,  with  a  keen  look  at  me : 

"Bold,  do  you  remember  I  flung  a  crown-piece  at  you 
when  I  passed  you  on  the  Worcester  road  years  ago !" 

"I  believe  you  did,"  said  I,  prevaricating. 

"Is  that  the  coin  ?" 

"Why,  Cludde,"  saysl,  "there  are  thousands  of  crown- 
pieces  in  the  world." 

"Is  it?"  he  persisted. 

"Why  should  you  suppose  it  is  ?"  I  said. 

"Why  did  you  keep  it?    Come,  I  must  know." 

"Oh,  confound  you,  Cludde,"  I  said,  "why  don't  you 
let  me  go  to  sleep  ?" 

"You  had  some  design  in  keeping  that  coin,"  he  said ; 
"I  want  to  know  what  it  was." 

"Well,  if  you  insist,"  I  said,  "I  meant  to  keep  it  until  I 
could  return  it  to  you  with  interest.  But  Fate,  you  see, 
has  found  a  better  use  for  it." 

"Bold,"  says  he,  after  a  silence,  "you're  a  good  fellow 
and  a  generous — " 

"Belay  there,  Cludde,"  I  said,  anxious  to  cut  him  short, 
"we'll  cry  quits  over  all  the  past.  'Intus  si  recte  ne  labora' 
— you  remember  the  old  school  motto.  We're  friends, 
and  all  we  have  to  worry  about  now  is  how  to  dish  Cyrus 


294  HUMPHREY   BOLD 

Vetch;  and  as  we  shall  be  none  the  worse  for  a  long 
sleep,  I'll  take  first  watch,  and  wake  you  when  you've  had 
three  or  four  hours." 

And  with  a  grip  of  hands  we  closed  the  enmity  of  a 
dozen  years. 


CHAPTER   XXVII 

SOME  SUCCESSES  AND  A  REBUFF 

We  lay  all  next  day  in  the  forest,  maintaining  an  irk- 
some silence,  and  continually  on  our  guard  against  intru- 
sion. Uncle  Moses  told  me  that  the  wagons  would  not 
leave  Dry  Harbor  on  their  return  journey  until  the  heat 
of  the  day  was  past — a  circumstance  which  favored  our 
design.  The  spot  we  had  determined  on  for  the  ambush 
was  five  miles  from  our  lurking  place,  and  we  should 
have  cover  all  the  way  save  where  we  must  needs  cross 
the  road.  When  the  time  came  for  our  setting  forth,  I 
went  myself  to  the  edge  of  the  woodland  to  spy  out  and 
see  if  the  coast  was  clear.  Not  a  soul  was  in  sight ;  we 
were  at  the  portion  of  the  estate  which  was  given  over  to 
pasture ;  if  it  had  been  sugar  land  we  must  have  inevitably 
met  negro  laborers. 

I  was  about  to  return  and  acquaint  the  others  that  we 
might  safely  start  when  I  heard  a  trotting  horse,  and  from 
my  place  of  concealment  among  the  trees,  I  soon  after- 
wards saw  a  horseman  appear  from  the  direction  of  Span- 
ish Town  and  ride  by  towards  the  big  house  two  miles  or 
more  away.  He  was  beyond  doubt  one  of  Vetch's  gang : 
'twas  impossible  to  mistake  the  thick  ungainly  figure, 
and  the  exceedingly  nautical  way  he  had  of  sitting  his 
horse.  'Twas  lucky  indeed  that  we  had  not  already  begun 
the  crossing,  for  he  must  have  seen  us,  the  road  being 
straight :  and  for  that  same  reason  I  deemed  it  well  to  de- 
lay a  little,  lest  he  should  chance  to  look  back.  And  so 

295 


296  HUMPHREY   BOLD 

'twas  a  good  half-hour  later  when,  nothing  further  having 
happened  to  give  us  pause,  we  ran  in  a  compact  body  for 
the  edge  of  the  forest,  crossed  the  road  and  a  long  stretch 
of  grass  land,  and  arrived  at  the  clump  I  have  before 
mentioned,  where  we  stood  a  little  while  to  recover  breath. 

And  then  we  were  amazed  to  hear  the  sound  of  singing 
, — amazed,  for  it  was  not  the  uncouth  singing  of  negroes 
(who  in  happy  circumstances  delight  to  uplift  their 
voices  in  psalms)  nor  yet  the  boisterous  untuneable  roar- 
ing of  rough  seamen,  like  Vetch's  buccaneers,  but  a  most 
melodious  and  pleasing  sound,  which  put  me  in  mind 
(and  Cludde  also)  of  the  madrigal  singers  of  our  good 
town  of  Shrewsbury.  And  as  it  drew  nearer  there  seemed 
to  be  a  something  familiar  in  the  tone,  though  being  quite 
without  ear  for  music,  as  I  have  confessed,  I  could  not 
tell  whether  it  was  a  known  tune  or  not. 

With  one  consent,  we  had  waited,  held,  I  suppose,  by 
the  same  feeling  of  wonderment  and  curiosity.  The  sound 
continually  approached ;  'twas  from  the  direction  of  Span- 
ish Town ;  and  from  our  vantage  ground  we  should  soon 
see  the  singer  as  he  passed  along  the  road.  But  before 
he  came  within  sight,  the  words  of  the  song  came  dis- 
tinctly to  my  ears,  and  though  I  knew  not  one  tune  from 
another,  I  started  with  a  thrill  of  delight. 

,  "What's  that  for?"  cries  out  Salem  Dick. 

"What  for,  my  jumping  beau? 
Why,  to  give  the  lubbers  one  more  kick !" 
Yo  ho,  with  the  rum  below. 

Thus  rang  the  voice,  and  there  ambled  into  view  Joe 
Punchard,  perched  upon  a  mule,  and  on  mules  behind 
him  two  negroes,  their  countenances  shining,  their  teeth 
flashing,  with  a  happy  smile. 

"Joe !"  I  cried,  in  defiance  of  all  caution. 


SOME   SUCCESSES   AND   A   REBUFF    297 

"Ahoy  ho!"  he  cried  in  return,  pulling  up  his  mule. 
"Who  be  that  a-calling  of  Joe  ?" 

I  broke  away  from  Cludde's  detaining  arm,  and  ran  to 
my  old  friend. 

"Ahoy  ho!"  he  shouted  jovially  when  he  saw  me;  but 
when  I  put  my  fingers  to  my  lips  he  dismounted  clumsily, 
and  met  me  with  the  whispered  question,  "What  be  in 
the  wind,  Master  Bold  ?" 

I  could  not  have  taken  ten  minutes  to  possess  him  with 
the  necessary  facts,  so  rapidly  did  I  tell  the  gist  of  my 
story. 

"Bless  my  buttons!"  he  ejaculated,  "I  reckoned  there 
was  somewhat  amiss.  When  I  heard  talk  of  you  being 
ill,  I  was  most  desperate  uneasy,  knowing  you  was  in  the 
latitude  o'  Vetch.  And  I  said  so  to  my  captain,  and  begged 
him  to  let  me  fetch  a  course  this  way  to  make  sure  as 
you  weren't  run  aground  or  wrecked  on  a  sunken  reef. 
My  captain  he  laughs  and  says  you'd  steered  clear  so 
often  that  he'd  no  fears  of  you  not  coming  safe  to  port; 
but  seeing  I  was  set  on  it,  he  give  me  leave,  and  to  make 
things  reg'lar,  as  he  said,  he  told  me  being  in  these  parts 
to  keep  an  eye  lifting  for  the  buccaneers  as  are  said  to  be 
somewheres  on  this  coast.  And  sink  my  timbers,  it  do 
seem  as  how  I'm  on  a  rare  voyage  of  discovery." 

I  told  him  quickly  of  the  purpose  I  had  in  view,  and  he 
at  once  volunteered  to  join  our  party.  But  this  I  could 
not  allow.  I  had  no  doubt  that  the  horseman  whom  I 
had  previously  seen  riding  to  the  house  was  carrying 
thither  news  of  his  approach,  as  my  own  arrival  had  been 
heralded.  He  would  be  expected,  and  if  he  did  not  ap- 
pear Vetch  would  be  suspicious,  and  might  despatch  men 
in  search  of  him,  and  the  footprints  of  his  mule  would 
bring  them  upon  our  track.  I  urged  him  to  go  forward 
with  his  guides  to  the  house,  where  it  was  possible,  if  they 


298  HUMPHREY   BOLD 

left  him  free,  that  he  might  prove  a  useful  auxiliary  if 
our  ruse  succeeded.  To  this  he  readily  agreed,  declaring 
he  would  anchor  at  Vetch's  door,  and  would  not  slip  his 
cable  until  I  came  up  on  his  quarter.  And  he  clambered 
to  the  saddle  again,  called  to  the  negroes  to  come  on 
astern,  and  set  forth  again  towards  the  house,  and  as  I 
rejoined  my  party  among  the  trees  I  heard  his  jolly  voice 
ringing  out : 

"I  'How  this  crazy  hull  o'  mine 
At  sea  has  had  its  share; 
Marooned  three  times  an'  wounded  nine, 
An'  blowed  up  in  the  air." 

We  had  wasted  some  eight  or  ten  minutes  on  this  in- 
terview, and  'twas  high  time  to  speed  on  our  journey  if 
we  were  to  reach  the  place  of  ambush  before  the  convoy. 
As  we  marched,  I  told  Cludde  the  purport  of  my  talk 
with  Joe,  and  he  agreed  that  the  course  I  had  insisted  on 
was  the  right  one,  though  he  feared  Punchard  would 
have  a  sorry  time  when  he  came  within  the  clutches  of 
the  man  who  bore  a  long  standing  grudge  against  him. 
I  confess  that  I  had  clean  forgotten  the  matter  of  the 
barrel-rolling,  and  being  now  reminded  of  it,  felt  greatly 
concerned  at  having  sent  poor  Joe  into  the  very  jaws  of 
danger,  but  'tis  idle  to  repent,  and  I  could  only  hope  that 
we  should  get  to  the  house  in  time  to  prevent  any  ir- 
remediable harm. 

'Twas  nigh  five  o'clock  when  we  came  to  tKe  copse 
fringing  the  road  (a  rough  cart-track)  from  the  coast. 
Noah  went  out  stealthily  to  inspect  the  road  for  traces 
of  the  convoy,  and  told  us  that  we  were  in  time ;  the  wag- 
ons had  not  yet  come  up.  We  waited  patiently,  and  I  took 
advantage  of  the  interval  to  repeat  the  instructions  I  had 
previously  given  to  the  negroes.  About  half  an  hour 


SOME  SUCCESSES  AND  A  REBUFF    299 

after  our  arrival  we  Heard  a  creaking  in  the  distance,  and 
soon  the  convoy  came  in  sight — three  six-horsed  wagons, 
with  two  negroes  in  each,  and  two  overseers  on  horse- 
back, carrying  long  whips,  and  riding  side  by  side  in  the 
rear.  These  two  Cludde  and  I  marked  for  our  own,  leav- 
ing the  negroes  to  deal  with  the  men  of  their  color.  We 
two  separated  from  the  rest  of  the  party,  so  that  the  attack 
might  be  made  on  the  whole  line  at  the  same  moment. 
When  we  came  opposite  to  the  two  riders,  I  gave  a  shrill 
whistle,  and  with  Cludde  at  my  side  dashed  from  among 
the  trees.  So  sudden  and  unexpected  was  the  assault 
that  the  overseers  had  no  time  to  defend  themselves. 
Cludde  and  I  hauled  them  from  their  saddles  and  held 
them  fast  while  two  of  the  negroes  brought  from  the 
wagons  ropes  wherewith  to  bind  them.  The  negro  driv- 
ers let  forth  a  yell  and  dropped  their  reins  when  the 
rest  of  our  party  sprang  out  from  the  copse.  The  convoy 
halted  and  Uncle  Moses  in  a  very  little  time  made  the 
drivers  understand  that  they  must  either  do  what  we 
bade  them  or  be  trussed  up  and  left  in  the  woods.  With 
night  approaching  this  latter  alternative  had  too  many 
terrors  to  make  it  acceptable,  and  the  men  professed 
themselves  willing  to  render  utter  obedience,  the  more 
readily  in  that  Vetch  and  his  gang  of  desperadoes  were 
well  hated  by  all  the  hands  upon  the  estate.  One  of  them, 
who  Uncle  Moses  told  me,  was  a  bad  character,  we  bound 
and  placed  with  the  overseers  in  one  of  the  wagons,  which 
we  then  drew  into  the  copse  out  of  sight  from  the  road. 

Cludde  and  I  deliberated  for  a  moment  whether  we 
should  mount  the  overseers'  horses  and  ride  on  with  the 
wagons.  But  we  decided  not  to  tempt  fate.  Before  we 
reached  the  big  house  we  should  have  to  pass  that  of  the 
principal  overseer  of  the  estate,  and  though  the  sky  was 
already  dusking,  and  it  would  be  dark  before  we  arrived, 


300  HUMPHREY   BOLD 

there  were  many  chances  that  we  might  be  seen  by  the 
buccaneers  or  others  as  we  came  within  the  bounds,  and 
being  in  our  officers'  habiliments  we  should  be  marked 
and  the  alarm  given.  So  we  resolved  to  get  into  the  first 
wagon,  and  cover  ourselves  with  the  sacking  it  contained 
as  soon  as  we  came  to  the  borders  of  the  plantations. 
Uncle  Moses  seated  himself  beside  the  driver  of  the  first 
wagon,  Noah  on  the  second,  and  the  rest  of  our  party  got 
into  this  wagon  and  likewise  hid  under  sacking. 

The  stables,  as  I  had  learned  from  Uncle  Moses,  lay  be- 
yond the  big  house,  so  that  our  driving  by  would  awaken 
no  suspicion.  In  order  that  we  might  gain  the  further 
advantage  of  darkness,  Uncle  Moses  drove  slowly,  and 
there  was  but  a  glimmer  of  twilight  when  we  reached  the 
house  of  the  overseer.  He  had  heard  the  rumbling  of  our 
wheels,  and  was  standing  at  his  gate  as  we  came  up. 
Seeing  only  the  wagons  and  no  horsemen,  he  cried  out 
to  know  where  the  rest  were.  The  negro  beside  Uncle 
Moses  (who  shrank  back  to  escape  recognition)  made 
ready  answer  that  the  third  wagon  had  broken  down,  and 
would  come  on  presently  with  the  overseers.  The  white. 
man  rapped  out  an  oath,  declaring  (with  what  truth  I 
know  not)  that  the  cursed  wagon  was  always  breaking 
down,  and  we  drove  past.  Two  of  the  buccaneers  were 
smoking  at  the  gates  of  the  big  house  when  we  came  up, 
and  they  hailed  us  in  rough  sailor  fashion,  but  showed  no 
curiosity ;  the  work  of  the  estate  was  no  concern  of  theirs. 

Uncle  Moses  had  told  me  that  there  would  certainly 
be  a  number  of  the  buccaneers  in  the  kitchen  of  the  big 
house,  where  they  took  their  supper  and  often  sat  far  into 
the  night  drinking  and  dicing.  As  we  drew  near,  indeed, 
I  heard  through  the  sack  that  covered  me  ('twas  very 
sticky  and  fraught  with  the  cloying  smell  of  sugar)  loud 
sounds  of  merriment  proceeding  from  the  house.  Instead 


SOME   SUCCESSES   AND  A  REBUFF    301 

of  driving-  past  in  the  direction  of  the  stables,  the  negro, 
obeying  his  instructions,  pulled  up  his  horses  when  the 
wagons  came  opposite  the  kitchen  door.  I  did  not  need 
Uncle  Moses'  call  to  know  that  the  moment  had  arrived. 
Flinging  off  the  sack  that  smothered  us,  Cludde  and  I 
sprang  from  the  wagon,  our  companions  doing  likewise, 
and  we  burst  headlong  into  the  kitchen. 

The  merry  sounds  that  we  had  heard  were  explained, 
but  in  an  unforeseen  way.  In  the  middle  of  the  room  sat  Joe 
Punchard,  tied  to  a  chair.  Around  him  were  half  a  dozen 
of  Vetch's  villainous  crew  engaged  in  the  pleasant  sport 
of  baiting  their  prisoner.  At  the  moment  of  our  entrance 
they  were  rubbing  the  dregs  of  molasses  into  his  red  hair. 
I  learned  afterwards  from  him  that  he  had  been  seized  on 
approaching  the  house,  and,  Vetch  being  absent  at  the 
time,  had  been  carried  into  the  kitchen  for  a  preliminary 
inquisition.  They  knew,  doubtless  on  the  information  of 
the  horseman  I  had  seenj  that  he  was  a  seaman  from  a 
king's  ship,  and  charged  him  with  having  come  to  spy 
on  them,  shrewdly  hitting  the  mark,  though  they  could 
hardly  have  believed  in  their  accusation,  seeing  that  he 
had  approached  quite  openly  with  no  companions  but  a 
brace  of  negroes.  He  had  suffered  many  indignities  be- 
fore we  arrived,  and  he  confessed  to  me  that,  though  he 
had  endured  many  a  buffeting  in  the  first  years  of  his  life 
at  sea,  he  had  never  spent  so  distressful  a  couple  of  hours 
as  those  when  the  buccaneers  put  him  to  the  question. 

They  were,  I  say,  rubbing  a  filthy  black  semi-fluid  into 
his  hair  at  the  moment  when  Cludde  and  I,  with  our  ne- 
groes behind,  made  a  sudden  irruption  into  the  kitchen. 
We  had  our  muskets  with  us,  and  seizing  mine  by  the 
barrel,  I  brought  the  stock  down  on  the  head  of  the  fel- 
low nearest  me,  and  he  dropped  heavily  to  the  floor. 
Springing  past  him,  I  cut  Joe's  cords  with  my  knife,  and 


302  HUMPHREY   BOLD 

then  turned  to  assist  my  companions  in  the  fight  that  was 
raging.  The  five  buccaneers  were  sturdy  villainst  and 
after  the  first  shock  of  surprise  they  were  more  than  a 
match  for  Cludde  and  the  negroes.  One  had  wrested  the 
musket  from  Cludde's  hand,  and  now  had  his  arms  about 
his  body,  endeavoring  to  throw  him.  The  rest  had 
drawn  their  hangers  and  were  pressing  hard  upon  the 
negroes,  'who  made  play  with  their  knives,  but  were  not 
equal  to  their  opponents.  The  entrance  of  Joe  and  myself 
into  the  fray,  however,  turned  the  tide  of  battle  in  our 
favor.  Joe  had  caught  up  the  chair  to  which  he  had 
been  bound,  and  wielded  it  like  a  flail,  with  every  swing 
of  it  breaking  a  head  or  snapping  an  arm.  And  my 
musket  took  a  heavy  toll.  The  room  rang  with  the  din  of 
battle — the  shouts  of  the  men,  the  whoops  of  the  negroes, 
the  clashing  of  our  weapons.  For  half  a  minute  it  was 
perfect  pandemonium;  then  finding  the  odds  hopelessly 
against  them,  the  two  buccaneers  who  were  not  by  this 
time  on  the  floor  dashed  through  the  open  door,  and  fled, 
pursued  by  the  negroes,  who  had  no  doubt  long  scores 
to  pay  off  against  them. 

In  the  midst  of  the  uproar  I  had  not  lost  sight  for  a 
moment  of  the  main  purpose  of  my  errand,  and  as  soon 
as  I  saw  that  the  issue  of  the  fight  was  decided  I  called 
Uncle  Moses  to  my  side  and  asked  him  eagerly  to  lead 
me  to  his  mistress'  sitting-room.  We  went  along  a  pas- 
sage and  up  a  flight  of  stairs  to  the  floor  above,  coming 
then  to  another  corridor  which  was  in  darkness. 

"Missy's  room  at  de  end,"  said  the  negro. 

With  beating  heart  I  hurried  along  behind  him,  and  we 
came  to  an  open  door.  I  knocked  upon  it,  and  entered. 
The  room  was  dark,  but  the  window  was  open,  and  the 
jalousies  not  having  been  closed  it  was  possible  to  see 
that  no  one  was  there. 


SOME   SUCCESSES   AND   A   REBUFF    303 

"Missy  gone  to  bed,"  said  Moses ;  "de  bedroom  is  just 
dar." 

He  pointed  to  a  closed  door  in  the  wall.  Loath  as  I  was 
to  disturb  Mistress  Lucy,  I  was  still  more  anxious  that 
she  should  know  of  my  presence;  so  I  went  to  the  door 
and  rapped  briskly  upon  it.  There  was  no  answer.  I 
rapped  again,  more  loudly,  but  still  without  result.  She 
was  either  fast  asleep  or — and  the  thought  struck  me 
with  a  chill — she  was  no  longer  there. 

"Where  is  Mr.  Vetch's  room  ?"  I  asked,  beset  by  a  great 
anxiety. 

"I  show  Massa,"  replied  Uncle  Moses. 

He  led  me  from  the  room,  and  along  a  passage  that 
branched  from  the  other.  There  was  a  thread  of  light 
beneath  a  door  at  the  end. 

"Dat  is  Massa  Vetch's  room,"  said  the  negro. 

I  went  to  it  and  tried  the  handle.  The  door  was  locked. 
I  thumped  upon  it  with  my  fist,  and  was  answered  with 
a  curse. 

"Settle  your  drunken  quarrels  yourselves,"  cried  the 
well-remembered  voice.  "What  is  it  to  me  if  you  break 
each  other's  skulls !" 

Clearly  he  had  heard  the  uproar  and  taken  it  to  be  a 
brawl  among  the  buccaneers.  'Twas  like  Vetch  to  shut 
himself  aloof  from  the  disputes  of  his  hirelings ;  he  was 
ever  careful  of  his  skin.  Affecting  a  harsh  and  surly 
voice  I  cried  that  the  quarrel  was  over  and  asked  him 
to  open  the  door :  I  had  news  from  Spanish  Town.  An- 
other oath  saluted  me ;  then  I  heard  the  sound  of  move- 
ments within,  and  the  door  was  thrown  open.  Instantly 
I  sprang  in,  the  negro  at  my  heels;  he  closed  the  door 
behind  me ;  and  I  stood  once  more  face  to  face  with  Cyrus 
Vetch. 

His  sallow  cheeks  blanched  when  he  saw  me.     No 


304  HUMPHREY   BOLD 

doubt  'twas  the  apparition  he  least  expected.  He  whips  out 
his  sword  and  springs  back  to  have  space  to  cut  at  me ; 
but  I  parried  the  stroke  with  my  musket,  and  he  skipped 
back  and  entrenched  himself  behind  the  table.  I  own 
that  I  could  have  cheerfully  slain  him  there  and  then  but 
for  my  anxiety  concerning  Mistress  Lucy's  whereabouts. 
There  was  Vetch,  glaring  at  me  from  behind  the  table, 
upon  which,  as  I  now  saw,  there  were  books  and  money, 
and  two  lighted  candles. 

"You  have  no  right  here,"  said  Vetch,  and  his  voice  was 
unsteady,  "breaking  into  my  house — " 

"Your  house !"  I  replied.  "And  as  for  right,  I  have  the 
right  of  every  honest  man  to  catch  a  villain  and  present 
him  to  the  hangman." 

"Mind  your  words,  sir,"  cries  the  fellow,  and  I  saw  by 
his  manner  that  he  was  desperately  anxious  to  gain  time. 
"I  warn  you  I  am  steward  of  this  estate  by  virtue  of  au- 
thority deputed  to  me  by  Sir  Richard  Cludde,  the  guard- 
ian appointed  by  the  Court  of  Chancery." 

"Your  stewardship  and  Sir  Richard's  guardianship 
ended  yesterday,"  I  said  curtly. 

"You  mistake,"  says  he,  beginning  to  recover  himself, 
"I  tell  you  again  that  this  is  an  unwarrantable  intrusion, 
and  you  stand  there  at  your  peril." 

"Stuff !"  I  cried  impatiently.  "  'Tis  you  who  are  an  in- 
truder, a  trespasser ;  you  are  in  this  house  against  the  will 
of  the  owner,  who  is  now  of  full  age.  But  I  won't  bandy 
words  with  you  about  that.  You  and  I  have  other  ac- 
counts to  settle,  Cyrus  Vetch,  and  if  you  do  not  yield  at 
once,  I  swear  I  will  show  you  no  mercy." 

I  advanced  towards  the  table,  and  Vetch  lifted  his 
sword  as  though  to  defend  himself.  But  his  courage 
failed  him,  and  indeed  his  was  a  hopeless  case  if  it  came 
to  a  tussle,  as  he  very  well  knew.  Incontinently  he 


SOME   SUCCESSES   AND   A   REBUFF     305 

dropped  his  sword-point,  and  with  a  shrug  of  the  shoul- 
ders, said : 

"I  will  not  fight  a  couple  of  bullies.  I  yield  now,  but 
let  me  tell  you,  Humphrey  Bold,  the  law  will  have  some- 
thing to  say  to  this." 

"It  will  indeed,"  I  said  grimly.  "Hand  over  your 
sword." 

He  took  it  by  the  blade ;  I  placed  my  musket  against  the 
table  and  reached  forward  to  take  the  hilt,  but  with  a 
sudden  swift  movement  he  swept  the  candles  to  the  floor 
and  the  room  was  in  total  darkness.  I  sprang  forward, 
but  before  I  could  vault  over  the  obstructing  table  Vetch 
had  dashed  through  a  door  behind  him  that  opened  on 
to  the  veranda.  I  was  after  him  in  an  instant,  and  he 
escaped  me  by  no  more  than  an  arm's  length.  He  had 
leapt  over  the  rail  of  the  veranda,  and  I  halted  for  a 
moment,  supposing  that  he  must  at  least  twist  his  ankles 
after  a  fall  of  some  fifteen  feet.  But  I  was  amazed  to 
see  him  swarming  down  one  of  the  pillars  that  supported 
the  veranda.  I  followed  him  in  desperate  haste,  but  the 
fellow  was  always  very  light  and  nimble,  and  the  fear  of 
death  lent  him  a  marvelous  new  agility.  My  heavier 
frame  was  slower  in  descending ;  yet  I  could  not  have  been 
much  more  than  fifteen  seconds  behind  him;  but  he  had 
vanished.  There  were  bushes  and  palms  growing  to 
within  a  few  feet  of  the  house.  I  ran  among  them,  but 
could  not  hear  his  footsteps,  nor  had  I  any  means  of 
judging  of  the  direction  of  his  flight.  Mad  with  disap- 
pointment, I  rushed  blindly  on,  and  in  a  moment  collided 
with  a  man,  whom  seizing,  I  knew  by  the  howl  he  emitted, 
no  less  than  by  the  feel  of  his  bare  skin,  that  I  had  laid 
hands  on  a  negro. 

"Which  way  did  he  run?"  I  cried,  shaking  the  man  in 
my  hot  impatience. 


3o6  HUMPHREY   BOLD 

"Oh,  Massa,  I  dunno  nuffin',"  said  the  trembling 
wretch. 

I  hurled  him  aside  and  sped  off  again,  very  soon  en- 
countering other  negroes,  who  in  spite  of  their  dread  of 
the  dark,  had  been  drawn  from  their  huts,  I  doubt  not,  by 
the  noise  of  the  altercation. 

"Where  is  your  mistress?"  I  asked  one  of  them.  He 
could  tell  me  nothing.  I  asked  the  same  question  of  an- 
other man  whom  I  met  within  a  few  yards. 

"I  see  Missy  going  to  Massa  Wilkins'  house,"  he  said. 
"Two  men  take  her." 

Wilkins  was,  I  knew,  the  name  of  the  principal  over- 
seer. Uncle  Moses  coming  up  with  me,  I  bade  him  lead 
me  at  once  to  Mr.  Wilkins'  house.  We  ran  on  as  fast  as 
our  legs  could  carry  us,  the  other  negroes  shuffling  along 
behind,  uttering  cries  and  yells  which  angered  me  beyond 
endurance.  We  had  come  some  distance  in  the  wrong 
direction,  and  I  fumed  in  vain  and  bitter  rage  at  the  loss 
of  time.  Coming  into  the  road  that  led  to  the  house  I 
heard  the  sound  of  galloping  horses,  and  though  I  con- 
tinued .to  run  until  I  was  breathless  and  dripping  with 
sweat  I  knew  I  was  too  late.  The  thud  of  the  hoofs  grew 
fainter  and  fainter.  Without  doubt  Vetch  had  seized 
Mistress  Lucy,  and  was  hurrying  her  away;  the  villain 
had  baffled  me ;  Lucy,  snatched  from  me,  was  hopelessly 
beyond  my  reach. 


CHAPTER  XXVIII 
i  CUT  THE  ENEMY'S  CABLES 

At  the  door  of  the  overseer's  house  stood  Patty,  Mis- 
tress Lucy's  old  nurse,  wringing  her  hands  and  weeping 
bitterly.  She  told  me  through  her  tears  that  Vetch  had 
set  Lucy  before  him  on  his  own  horse,  and  that  he  was  ac- 
companied by  two  of  his  desperadoes.  I  broke  away  from 
her  as  she  was  imploring  me  to  save  her  "dear  lamb,"  as 
she  called  her  mistress,  and  ran  back  in  the  direction  of 
the  big  house  to  find  a  horse  and  lead  a  pursuit.  The 
whole  place  was  in  commotion.  All  the  negro  workers 
on  the  estate  seemed  to  have  flocked  together,  many  of 
them  carrying  flares  which  threw  a  lurid  glow  upon  the 
scene.  Before  I  reached  the  house  I  was  met  by  Cludde 
and  Punchard,  who  had  laid  the  captured  buccaneers  in 
pound.  I  rapidly  acquainted  them  with  what  had  hap- 
pened, and  was  going  on  to  the  stables  to  find  horses  when 
one  of  the  negroes  told  me  that  there  was  none  there,  the 
only  saddle  horses  being  those  which  were  now  carrying 
Vetch  and  his  companions  to  the  coast.  But  the  wagons 
were  still  where  we  had  left  them ;  in  the  excitement  of 
the  past  half  hour  they  had  been  forgotten.  The  horses 
were  draught  horses,  and  did  not  promise  good  speed,  but 
we  had  no  others ;  and  I  cried  to  the  men  to  unyoke  the 
teams,  while  I  ran  to  the  kitchen  for  a  weapon.  I  seized 
a  couple  of  the  buccaneers'  cutlasses,  and  hastening  back, 
gave  one  to  Cludde.  We  had  no  time  for  saddling  up ; 

307 


3o8  HUMPHREY   BOLD 

throwing  ourselves  on  the  horses'  bare  backs,  we  set  off 
•with  Punchard  and  Uncle  Moses  along  the  road,  urging 
the  beasts  to  a  pace  which  I  feared  they  could  not  long 
keep  up. 

As  we  drew  near  to  the  place  of  our  ambush  I  remem- 
bered the  overseers  we  had  left  tied  up  there  in  the  wood, 
and  their  horses  which  we  had  tethered.  Bidding  Punchard 
and  the  negroes  ride  on,  I  flung  myself  from  the  back  of 
my  sweating  steed,  ran  into  the  wood,  and  soon  returned 
with  the  saddle  horses.  Within  three  minutes  of  our 
halt  Cludde  and  I  were  galloping  on,  at  a  pace  which  soon 
outstripped  our  more  heavily  mounted  companions.  Vetch 
had  had  but  ten  or  fifteen  minutes'  start  of  us,  and  his 
horse  carrying  a  double  burden,  I  hoped  we  should  over- 
take him  before  he  could  convey  Mistress  Lucy  aboard 
his  brig. 

Luckily  the  moon  had  risen,  and  was  throwing  a  light, 
dim  but  sufficient,  upon  the  track.  Birds  clattered  out  of 
the  trees  as  we  sped  past ;  wild  creatures  of  the  wood, 
terrified  at  the  unwonted  disturbance  of  the  night,  scurried 
across  our  path.  In  spite  of  the  moonlight,  and  because 
of  the  deep  shadows  it  cast,  we  narrowly  escaped  being 
dashed  from  our  horses  by  low-hanging  branches  of  the 
trees  on  either  side.  So  we  raced  on  for  mile  after  mile 
without  pause  or  mitigation  of  our  pace.  The  track  wound 
'about  in  baffling  curves,  so  that  we  could  see  but  a  little 
distance  ahead.  Once  or  twice  I  thought  I  caught  a 
glimpse  of  moving  objects  before  us,  but  'twas  but  a  trick 
of  the  moonlight.  We  dared  not  stop  to  listen  for  sounds 
of  the  fugitives ;  I  felt  that  every  second  was  of  vital  im- 
port, and  'twas  not  until  we  had  come  into  a  stretch  of 
country  clear  of  trees,  our  horses'  hoofs  falling  silently  on 
the  soft  turf,  that  we  caught  the  faint  rustle  of  the  sea. 
I  knew  not  how  far  distant  it  was ;  sounds  carry  far  and 


I   CUT   THE   ENEMY'S    CABLES          309 

are  deceptive  at  night ;  we  smote  the  flanks  of  our  horses 
and  rode  as  for  a  wager. 

Suddenly  a  shrill  whistle  cut  the  air. 

"A  signal !"  I  said  to  Cludde,  riding  at  my  side.  "Are 
they  calling  assistance  ?" 

"  Tis  a  call  for  a  boat,  without  doubt,"  he  replied. 
"They  have  got  to  the  shore." 

Sick  with  fear  that  we  were  too  late,  I  pressed  my  horse 
forward  at  a  mad  and  reckless  gallop,  outpacing  Cludde 
altogether.  We  were  now  again  among  trees,  and,  having 
come  out  of  the  moonlight,  I  could  not  at  first  see  more 
than  a  yard  or  two  ahead.  But  on  a  sudden  the  dim  track 
before  me  was  wholly  blotted  out  by  a  dark  figure.  It 
loomed  larger  as  I  approached,  and  my  heart  leapt  with 
the  hope  that  it  was  Vetch's  overburdened  horse  dropping 
behind.  The  rider  could  not  escape;  there  was  a  bank 
on  either  side  of  the  track.  I  was  within  a  dozen  yards  of 
him  when  he  reined  up  as  if  to  dismount  and  seek  the 
shelter  of  the  woodland,  and  then  I  perceived  with  distress 
that  whoever  it  might  be  it  was  not  Vetch ;  the  horse  had 
no  second  burden.  Next  moment  there  was  a  flash  and 
a  roar;  a  bullet  grazed  my  arm;  finding  himself  closer 
pressed  than  he  thought,  the  fellow  had  turned  in  his  sad- 
dle and  fired  at  me.  He  uttered  an  oath  when  he  saw  me 
riding  towards  him  unchecked.  I  was  level  with  him,  I 
drew  my  horse  alongside;  and  raising  my  cutlass  above 
my  left  shoulder  I  brought  it  down  with  a  swinging  cut 
upon  the  man.  With  a  cry  he  toppled  from  his  saddle,  and 
1  shot  past,  in  a  headlong  rush  towards  the  now  thunder- 
ous rumbling  of  the  sea. 

'Twas  but  a  few  moments  afterwards  that  I  found  my- 
self falling  as  it  seemed  into  space.  In  my  heedless  and 
impetuous  course  I  had  come  unawares  to  the  edge  of  a 
cliff.  My  horse  fell,  flinging  me  clean  over  his  crupper. 


310  HUMPHREY   BOLD 

I  had  given  myself  up  for  lost  when  I  was  suddenly  caught 
as  by  outstretched  arms,  in  the  entangling  foliage  of  a 
shrub,  and  as  I  lay  there,  dazed,  I  heard  a  sickening  thud 
far  below  me,  and  guessed  that  no  such  friendly  obstacle 
had  saved  my  poor  horse  from  death. 

Barring  the  shock,  and  a  few  scratches,  I  was  unhurt, 
and  with  great  thankfulness  of  heart  for  my  merciful  de- 
liverance I  crawled  carefully  out  of  the  shrub,  and  set  to 
scrambling  up  the  steep  slope  to  the  top.  There  I  met 
Cludde  pale  and  shaking  with  horror.  My  involuntary 
cry  as  I  fell  had  warned  him.  He  reined  up  in  time  to 
escape  my  mishap,  and  hearing  shortly  afterwards  the 
thud  as  the  horse  came  to  the  bottom,  he  believed  that  I 
must  be  a  mangled  corpse. 

"Too  late!"  he  gasped,  clutching  me  by  the  arm  and 
pointing  down  to  the  sea.  Clear  in  the  moonlight  lay  the 
dark  shape  of  a  brig  with  bare  yards.  At  that  very  mo- 
ment a  boat  was  drawing  in  under  her  quarter,  and  as  we 
stood  helpless  there  we  saw  a  cradle  let  down  over  the 
side,  a  form  placed  in  it  and  hoisted  to  the  deck,  and  then 
the  boat's  crew  mounting  one  by  one. 

Twas  not  until  Uncle  Moses  came  up  with  Joe  that  we 
found  the  circuitous  path  by  which  Vetch  had  reached 
the  shore.  We  raced  down,  but  Vetch,  you  may  be  sure, 
had  left  no  boat  in  which  we  might  follow  him.  We  came 
'upon  his  horse,  quietly  cropping  the  plants  that  grew  at 
the  foot  of  the  cliff.  The  moon  shining  seawards,  we  were 
in  shadow,  so  that  had  Vetch  been  looking  from  the  brig, 
he  would  not  have  seen  me  as  I  raged  up  and  down  in  im- 
potent fury,  nor  my  companions  as  they  sat  themselves 
down,  troubled,  like  myself,  but  not  with  the  same  yearn- 
ing. 

My  grief  and  rage  bereft  me  for  a  time  of  all  power  of 
thought.  All  that  I  was  conscious  of  was  the  fact  that 


I    CUT   THE   ENEMY'S    CABLES          311 

Lucy  was  gone,  irrevocably,  as  I  feared.  But  by  and  by 
order  returned  to  my  confused  and  gloomy  mind,  and, 
observing  suddenly  that  the  tide  was  running  in,  and  that 
the  breeze  was  blowing  inshore,  I  felt  a  springing  of  hope 
within  me.  'Twas  clear  that  the  brig  could  not  put  to  sea 
against  both  wind  and  tide ;  she  must  lie  where  she  was 
for  several  hours ;  was  it  possible  that  even  now  something 
might  be  done  to  rescue  Mistress  Lucy?  Could  we  by 
some  means  win  to  the  brig  and  snatch  her  from  the  vil- 
lainous hands  that  held  her  captive  ?  I  dashed  back  to  my 
companions  and  put  this  throbbing  question  to  them. 
They  shook  their  heads ;  we  had  no  boat  to  convey  us  to 
the  vessel,  nor  if  we  had  could  we  have  overcome  the  crew 
by  main  force.  Uncle  Moses  said  that  there  were  some 
fifteen  or  twenty  men  aboard,  well  armed;  she  carried 
three  brass  guns;  whereas  we  were  but  four,  unarmed 
save  for  our  two  cutlasses.  And  even  supposing  our  party 
were  ten  times  as  large,  we  could  do  nothing  without 
means  of  transport ;  and  the  buccaneers  could  bring  their 
guns  to  bear  upon  us  if  we  exposed  ourselves  to  their 
view,  and  with  the  turn  of  the  tide  could  mock  us  and  sail 
away. 

But  on  a  sudden  a  thought  came  to  me.  Might  we  not 
at  least  render  the  departure  of  the  brig  impossible? 
Though  with  any  force  we  might  gather  'twas  hopeless 
to  think  of  capturing  her,  if  we  could  but  strand  her  we 
should  at  any  rate  gain  time,  and  maybe  bargain  with 
Vetch  for  the  release  of  the  lady.  He  would  know  that 
he  had  put  himself  beyond  the  pale  of  mercy  if  he  should 
be  caught,  his  hope  of  gaining  the  estate  must  be  dead ;  we 
might  work  on  his  fears  and  the  fears  of  the  men  with 
him,  and  secure  our  object  by  paying  them  a  price. 

I  took  Cludde  with  me  to  the  top  of  the  cliff  to  gain  a 
clearer  view  of  the  vessel's  position.  Keeping  in  shadow, 


312  HUMPHREY   BOLD 

we  saw  that  she  lay  some  little  way  out  in  a  narrow  bay 
overhung  by  cliffs,  the  seaward  end  appearing  closed, 
owing  to  a  bend  in  the  shore.  The  tide  was  fast  coming 
in ;  the  wind,  which  at  the  foot  of  the  cliffs  had  seemed 
but  a  light  breeze,  was  blowing  strong  at  our  altitude. 

"Cludde,"  I  said,  "I  am  going  to  cut  the  cables." 

"  'Tis  madness !"  he  replied,  in  an  accent  of  amazement 
and  protest.  "You  would  be  sure  to  be  seen  in  the  moon- 
light." 

"The  moon  is  sinking,"  I  answered.  "'Twill  be  down 
behind  the  cliffs  in  an  hour." 

"But  the  sharks !  These  waters  are  infested  with  them." 

"  Tis  the  only  way,"  I  said  with  resolution,  "and  sharks 
or  no  sharks  I  must  make  the  attempt.  With  the  wind  and 
tide  the  brig,  if  I  can  but  cut  her  cables,  will  drift  up  the 
bay  and  run  on  the  shoals,  and  then  'twill  be  impossible 
to  get  her  off  for  some  hours." 

"You  can  not  cut  the  cables  unperceived.  When  they 
feel  her  riding  free  they  will  suspect  the  cause,  and  you're 
a  dead  man." 

"I  must  take  my  chance.  'Twill  be  dark  soon,  and 
maybe  luck,  that  has  been  against  me  so  long,  will  turn 
with  the  tide.  I  am  going  to  do  it,  Cludde,  and  as  we 
have  an  hour  or  so  before  the  moon  goes  down,  come  with 
me  along  the  cliff  to  find  the  most  convenient  spot  for  the 
venture." 

We  went  along  together,  and  had  walked  but  a  few 
yards  when  we  came  near  to  breaking  our  necks.  A  part 
of  the  cliffs  had  fallen,  leaving  a  wide  gap,  and  coming 
suddenly  to  this,  we  barely  escaped  plunging  headlong 
down.  The  long  slope  was  strewn  with  great  numbers 
of  stones  small  and  large.  We  managed  to  scramble  down 
the  one  steep  side,  and  up  the  other,  without  having  to  go 
a  long  way  round,  and  came  at  length  opposite  the  brig, 


I   CUT   THE   ENEMY'S   CABLES          313 

and  saw  by  the  manner  of  her  rocking  that  she  rode  on 
two  anchors,  one  from  the  bows  and  the  other  from  the 
stern.  There  were  several  men  on  deck;  we  heard  their 
voices  and  laughter.  I  thought  of  Mistress  Lucy  doubt- 
less imprisoned  in  the  cabin,  and  vowed  that  before  many 
hours  were  past  she  should  be  free,  if  mortal  wit  and  mor- 
tal arm  could  achieve  it. 

We  settled  on  a  place  for  me  to  take  the  water — a  little 
beyond  the  brig,  where  the  cliff  dipped  low.  With  all  my 
heart  I  hoped  the  tide  would  not  turn  before  the  moon 
went  down.  We  did  not  care  to  leave  the  spot  and  return 
to  the  others,  lest  when  I  came  again  I  should  lose  my  way 
in  the  darkness  and  come  to  some  mishap.  But  while  we 
were  waiting  on  the  cliff  edge  for  the  setting  of  the  moon 
I  bethought  me  that  our  company  would  be  none  the 
worse  for  strengthening,  for  if  the  brig  were  stranded  as 
I  hoped,  some  means  might  perchance  be  found  (though  I 
knew  not  what)  of  gaining  possession  of  her.  So  I  sent 
Cludde  back  to  Uncle  Moses  to  bid  him  ride  back  to  the 
house  and  bring  up,  afoot  or  on  horseback,  a  great  force 
of  the  negroes  of  the  estate,  with  whatever  arms  they 
could  find.  I  reckoned  (but  wrongly,  as  it  proved)  that 
curiosity,  the  courage  of  numbers,  and  their  common 
hatred  of  Vetch,  would  outweigh  their  dread  of  buga- 
boos, and  bring  them  at  once. 

When  Cludde  had  departed  on  this  errand,  I  sat  by  the 
edge  of  the  cliff,  waiting  with  scant  patience  for  the  slow 
sinking  moon  to  disappear.  At  last  it  was  gone;  all 
around  was  darkness  and  silence,  save  for  the  washing  of 
the  tide  and  the  rustling  of  the  trees  in  the  wind.  I 
stripped  off  my  coat,  left  it  with  my  cutlass  on  the  grass, 
and,  taking  my  knife  between  my  teeth,  crept  into  the 
water  and  struck  out  towards  the  brig.  I  swam  silently ; 
indeed,  I  had  little  need  to  exert  myself,  for  the  tide  car- 


314  HUMPHREY    BOLD 

ried  me  in  the  direction  I  would  go.  And  so,  with  a  few 
minutes,  I  came  safely  under  the  vessel's  side. 

I  heard  voices  on  the  deck  above  me,  and  though  I  could 
not  catch  what  was  said,  I  distinguished  Vetch's,  clear, 
high-pitched  tones.  Doubtless  the  crew  were  keeping  a 
careful  watch  on  the  shore,  but  very  likely  they  had  heard 
the  crashing  of  my  horse  when  he  fell,  and  Vetch  might 
be  flattering  himself  that  the  beast  and  I  had  shared  the 
same  fate  and  that  he  would  set  eyes  on  me  no  more.  I 
waited  but  long  enough  to  be  sure  there  was  no  uneasiness 
among  the  crew ;  then,  with  much  pains  to  avoid  splash- 
ing, I  crept  close  along  by  the  hull  until  I  found  the 
fore  cable. 

When  considering  my  plan  on  the  shore,  I  had  to  de- 
cide which  of  the  two  cables  to  attempt  first.  The  vessel 
lay  with  her  head  to  the  sea.  If  I  cut  the  cable  over  the 
stern,  the  tide  running  in,  the  position  of  the  brig  would 
alter  so  slightly  as  not  to  be  at  once  perceived,  and  I  might 
have  time  to  deal  with  the  other  cable  before  any  one  was 
aware  of  it.  On  the  other  hand,  supposing  I  were  by  some 
unlucky  chance  espied,  the  cutting  of  the  second  cable 
would  be  beyond  possibility,  and  no  harm  done.  Whereas, 
if  I  began  with  the  fore  cable,  the  brig  would  swing  round 
immediately,  and  the  movement  could  not  escape  the 
notice  of  the  crew,  however  heedless,  and  if  they  looked 
over  the  side  they  might  spy  me  and  so  defeat  my  full  pur- 
pose. Yet  it  seemed  that  by  adopting  the  latter  course  I 
could  not  fail  utterly;  with  the  fore  rope  cut  the  vessel 
might  drag  the  other  anchor,  so  that,  indeed,  it  might 
not  be  necessary  to  cut  the  second  rope  at  all.  The  risk  to 
me  was  perhaps  greater,  but  so  would  be  the  success ; 
accordingly  I  had  decided  to  begin  my  work  under  the 
bow  of  the  vessel. 

Winding  my  legs  about  the  part  of  the  rope  that  was  in 


I   CUT   THE   ENEMY'S   CABLES         315 

the  water,  I  began  to  saw  gently  with  my  knife  at  the  part 
above  me,  only  my  head  and  shoulders  showing  above  the 
surface.  The  tide  and  the  sea-breeze  put  some  strain  on 
the  cable,  but  every  now  and  again  it  slackened  as  the  bow 
sank  with  the  long  rocking  of  the  vessel.  This  set  me 
thinking.  If  the  rope  snapped  when  it  was  taut,  those  on 
board  would  feel  the  spring  of  it,  and  I  should  be  without 
doubt  discovered  before  I  could  sever  the  other :  whereas, 
if  the  severance  was  made  when  the  rope  was  slack,  there 
would  be  no  shock,  and  the  men  would  be  aware  of  noth- 
ing until  the  vessel  swung  round  on  the  tide.  I  so  timed 
my  knife-work,  therefore,  that  the  last  strand  was  cut 
through  when  the  bow  was  dipping.  The  moment  it  was 
done  I  sank  down  to  the  water  level,  and  after  waiting  a 
moment  to  see  in  what  direction  the  vessel  would  swing, 
I  went  wholly  under,  and  swam  along  in  the  opposite  di- 
rection towards  the  stern,  keeping  as  close  to  the  hull  as 
was  safe. 

When  I  came  up  for  breath,  I  heard  a  great  uproar  on 
board.  The  crew  were  flocking  to  the  bows  to  see  what 
had  happened  to  the  anchor.  Meanwhile  with  a  few  more 
strokes  I  reached  the  other  rope,  and  was  hacking  away  at 
it  steadily  when  I  heard  one  cry  out  that  the  cable  was  cut, 
and  immediately  afterwards  the  voice  of  Vetch  as  he 
rushed  out  of  the  roundhouse.  I  felt  pretty  secure  in  the 
darkness  under  the  stern  sheets,  but  the  strain  upon  the 
cable  here  was  much  greater  now  that  the  other  was  gone, 
and  when  I  cut  it  through  the  vessel  gave  a  jump,  I  heard 
oaths  and  a  great  scurry  of  feet  on  deck  and  some  one 
let  down  a  flare  to  discover  the  perpetrator  of  the  mischief. 
You  may  be  sure  I  dived  under  water  as  quickly  as  might 
be,  but  not  before  I  was  descried,  and  my  head  had  barely 
disappeared  when  a  heavy  object  fell  with  a  great  splash 
within  a  few  inches  of  it.  I  swam  along  like  a  fish  beneath 


316  HUMPHREY   BOLD 

the  surface,  making  towards  the  shore ;  but  when  for  the 
sake  of  my  lungs  I  had  perforce  to  come  up,  a  perfect 
fusillade  spattered  all  around  me,  and  it  seemed  a  miracle 
I  was  not  hit.  I  swam  on ;  the  tide  was  bearing  the  vessel 
away  from  me ;  the  flare  lit  but  a  narrow  space  of  water, 
and  I  doubt  whether  my  head  could  now  be  seen  and 
made  a  target.  Though  I  heard  the  muskets  roaring  and 
slugs  plopping  into  the  water,  not  one  of  them  touched  me, 
and  in  a  minute  or  two  I  gained  the  beach,  pretty  breath- 
less, but  marvelously  content. 

As  I  shook  the  water  from  me  I  heard  lusty  swearing 
from  the  deck  of  the  drifting  vessel,  and  from  the  tone  of 
some  of  the  voices  guessed  that  the  look-out  was  in  very 
hot  water.  And  amid  the  deeper  voices  of  the  buccaneers 
Vetch's  shriller  tone  was  quite  audible  to  me,  as  he  shouted 
for  some  one  to  drop  a  kedge  anchor  over  the  side  and 
stop  the  cursed  drifting.  This  was  done,  but  I  was  in  no 
fears  for  the  result,  for  under  the  force  of  wind  and  tide 
combined  there  was  a  considerable  way  on  the  brig,  which 
no  light  anchor  would  avail  to  check.  And  in  a  few  min- 
utes I  knew  for  certain  that  I  was  right.  There  came  a 
great  shout :  "She's  aground !"  and  the  dark  shape,  which 
I  could  now  barely  distinguish  from  where  I  stood,  ceased 
to  move. 

Satisfied  that  for  a  time  at  least  I  had  prevented  Vetch 
from  putting  to  sea,  I  clambered  up  the  cliff  and  set  off  to 
rejoin  my  companions,  not  venturing  to  go  back  for  my 
ooat,  lest  I  should  lose  my  way  in  the  dark.  They  had 
been  eagerly  watching  the  issue  of  my  device,  the  success 
of  which  pleased  them  mightily.  Cludde  made  me  strip 
off  my  dripping  garments,  declaring  that  if  I  stood  in  them 
(the  night  being  chilly)  I  should  catch  my  death  of  cold. 

"That's  all  very  well,"  I  said;  "but  I  shall  be  colder 
still  stark  naked." 


I   CUT  THE   ENEMY'S   CABLES         317 

"You  must  just  run  about  and  slap  yourself,"  cries  Joe ; 
"Mr.  Cludde  and  me  can  help — me  particler,  my  name  be- 
ing so.  And  it  won't  be  for  long,  'cos  when  that  black 
Moses  went  off  to  do  your  bidding  (he  was  a  bit  scared 
of  some  foolishness  he  called  bugaboos),  I  told  him  to 
bring  clothes  and  blankets  from  the  house,  knowing  that 
the  likes  o'  that  wouldn't  have  come  into  your  own  nod- 
dle." 

"True,  it  did  not,"  I  confessed.  "I  am  lucky  in  having 
an  old  mariner  like  you  to  look  after  me." 

"Ay,  and  there  be  old  mariners  aboard  that  brig,  too. 
See,  they  bin  and  dropped  a  couple  of  boats  out,  to  tow 
her  off." 

This  gave  me  a  start,  and  I  watched  with  great  anxiety 
the  efforts  of  the  buccaneers  to  haul  their  vessel  off  the 
shoals.  She  was  not  more  than  fifty  yards  from  the  cliff 
where  we  were  standing,  which  somewhat  overhung  the 
bay,  and  from  our  elevated  position  we  could  see  clearly 
what  was  going  on.  I  suppose  it  was  a  full  hour  before 
they  gave  up  the  attempt,  and  'twas  clear  that  having 
failed  a  good  many  more  hours  must  pass  before  'twould 
be  possible  to  float  her,  for  the  tide,  which  had  been  at  the 
flood  when  she  ran  aground,  was  now  ebbing,  and  Vetch 
could  not  (any  more  than  King  Canute)  command  that. 

I  think  if  I  had  been  Vetch,  with  so  much  at  stake  (for 
if  we  got  the  better  of  him,  be  sure  there  would  soon  be 
a  halter  about  his  neck) — I  think  if  I  had  been  in  his 
place,  with  nigh  a  score  of  stalwart  dare-devils  at  my  beck, 
all  armed  and  trained  to  desperate  deeds,  I  should  have 
waded  ashore  wi'  'em  and  made  some  effort  to  run  us 
down.  He  must  have  known  that  there  could  be  but  two 
or  three  of  us,  and  with  a  little  maneuvering  and  stealth 
there  was  a  chance  that  he  might  have  got  upon  us  and 
done  us  mischief.  But  Vetch,  as  has  more  than  once  ap- 


3i8  HUMPHREY  BOLDi 

peared,  was  never  a  fellow  to  run  into  jeopardy ;  and  our 
very  weakness,  I  doubt  not,  persuaded  him  that  he  had 
nothing  to  fear  in  way  of  assault,  and  need  only  bide  for 
the  next  flood  to  carry  him  out  beyond  our  reach. 

Many  times  during  that  night  I  thought  of  Mistress 
Lucy,  and  wondered  whether  she,  below  decks,  had 
guessed  from  the  movement  of  the  vessel,  and  the  com- 
motion and  uproar,  that  we  were  still  working  for  her  be- 
hoof. She  told  me  afterwards  that,  having  locked  herself 
in  the  cabin,  she  was  in  a  stupor  of  grief,  and  felt,  when 
the  vessel  moved  (believing  that  it  was  putting  out  to  sea) 
that  nothing  could  save  her  now.  But  when  she  heard  the 
shouts  and  the  firing,  a  wild  hope  sprang  up  within  her ; 
she  was  possessed  with  a  strong  assurance  that  something 
was  being  attempted  for  her  sake,  and  she  clasped  her 
hands  and  prayed  that  it  might  have  a  happy  issue. 


CHAPTER   XXIX 

WE  BOMBARD  THE  BRIG 

'Twas  not  very  long  before  Uncle  Moses  was  back, 
bringing  welcome  blankets,  in  which  I  rolled  myself  while 
my  clothes  were  drying  at  a  fire  Joe  kindled  in  the  wood. 
The  old  negro  said  that  we  could  not  expect  any  rein- 
forcements before  daybreak,  the  people  being  quite  un- 
willing to  march  during  the  night  so  far  from  their 
homes.  He  had  brought  back  with  him,  however,  Noah 
and  Jacob  on  horseback,  and  indeed  I  suspected  that  with- 
out them  even  Uncle  Moses  himself  would  not  have  con- 
quered his  dread  of  the  bugaboos  and  faced  the  night 
journey  a  second  time. 

Some  three  hours  after  daybreak  the  dusky  recruits 
came  dropping  in  with  weapons  of  all  sorts — firelocks, 
knives,  bludgeons — and  with  food,  of  which  I  for  one 
was  mighty  glad,  being  sharp  set  after  my  swimming  and 
a  cold  night.  The  negroes  made  a  great  clamour  as  their 
numbers  increased — there  were  soon  pretty  nearly  a  hun- 
dred of  them,  all  the  able-bodied  men  on  the  estate  and 
a  fair  sprinkling  of  women  too.  'Twas  hopeless,  the  noise 
being  so  great,  to  expect  that  Vetch  would  not  get  a 
shrewd  notion  of  the  size  of  our  force,  and  I  saw  no  rea- 
son for  attempting  to  conceal  it;  indeed,  I  nourished  a 
secret  hope  that,  being  a  coward  at  heart,  he  would  be 
daunted  at  sight  of  us,  and  yield  up  Mistress  Lucy  on 
terms.  But  this  hope  soon  took  wing. 

The  tide  had  now  left  the  brig  high  and  dry  on  the 
319 


320  HUMPHREY   BOLD 

sand.  She  had  heeled  over,  but  not  enough  to  make  it 
possible  for  her  crew  to  use  their  brass  guns  against  the 
negroes  who  crowded  the  top  of  the  cliff.  They  made 
some  attempt  to  train  the  guns,  but  desisted  when  they 
saw  that  the  utmost  elevation  would  reach  no  higher 
than  half  way  up.  But  the  cliff  top  was  well  within  range 
of  their  muskets,  as  one  unfortunate  negro,  approaching 
the  edge  too  closely  found  to  his  cost.  A  shot  struck  him 
on  the  leg,  and  he  ran  howling  back,  causing  his  compan- 
ions to  scuttle  like  rabbits  into  the  woodland. 

We  had  discussed  during  the  night  what  course  we 
should  follow  in  the  morning,  but  without  arriving  at  any 
conclusion.  I  hoped  that  we  should  find  ourselves  in  a 
state  to  make  an  organized  assault  on  the  brig  and  carry 
it  by  main  force ;  but  this  idea  was  speedily  dashed  when 
I  came  to  take  stock  of  our  forces  and  armament.  We 
had  but  eight  muskets  among  us;  I  counted  more  than 
twenty  buccaneers  on  the  sloping  deck  of  the  brig. 
Though  we  so  greatly  outnumbered  them  I  saw  that  a 
direct  assault  could  not  succeed.  From  the  vantage  of 
the  deck  they  would  have  us  at  their  mercy ;  and  though 
fifty  disciplined  men,  even  unarmed,  might  perhaps  swarm 
up  and  overcome  them  by  sheer  weight  of  numbers,  I  be- 
lieved that  the  negroes  would  have  no  stomach  for  so 
desperate  an  undertaking.  And  my  former  gloom  and 
trouble  of  mind  descended  upon  me,  when  I  saw  the  tide 
begin  to  creep  up  again.  Unless  we  could  do  something 
before  the  flood  the  buccaneers  would  without  doubt  get 
the  vessel  off,  for  she  had  not  sufficient  way  on  when  she 
struck  to  run  her  deep  into  the  sand,  and  they  had  only  to 
jettison  a  part  of  her  cargo  to  float  her. 

I  walked  apart  with  Cludde  and  Punchard,  all  three  of 
us  at  our  wit's  end.  With  only  eight  muskets  we  could 
not  fire  fast  enough  to  keep  the  deck  clear  of  men,  and  our 


WE   BOMBARD   THE   BRIG  321 

store  of  ammunition  was  scanty;  further,  I  doubted 
whether  the  negroes  were  sufficiently  practised  with  fire 
arms  to  make  good  marksmen.  It  seemed  that  we  should 
ere  long  see  the  buccaneer  vessel  slipping  out  of  our 
reach. 

'Twas  a  chance  act  of  Joe  Punchard  that  drew  me  out 
of  my  heaviness,  and  set  my  wits  a-jump.  We  were  walk- 
ing along  the  cliffs,  and  came  to  that  gap  I  have  before 
mentioned,  where  Cludde  and  I  had  nearly  broke  our 
necks  the  night  before. 

"  T'ud  ha'  saved  a  deal  o'  trouble  if  that  there  barrel 
had  rolled  a  bit  further,"  says  Joe,  and  he  picks  up  a 
stone  and  shies  it  out  to  sea,  for  the  mere  easement  of  his 
temper.  My  eyes  followed  the  flight  of  the  stone  idly, 
but  when  it  flopped  into  the  water  a  notion  came  to  me 
which  I  was  quick  to  impart. 

"By  Jupiter,  Cludde,"  I  cried,  "we'll  bombard  'em!" 

He  stared  at  me  as  though  he  feared  my  wits  were 
astray,  but  when  I  pointed  to  the  innumerable  stones 
strewing  the  cliff  side,  from  boulders  of  great  size  to 
nuggets  no  bigger  than  an  apple,  and  showed  how  easy 
'twould  be  for  our  negroes  to  cast  them  on  to  the  very 
deck  of  the  brig,  his  face  changed,  and  I  saw  a  light  in 
his  eyes  that  reminded  me  of  the  time  when  he  was  one 
of  the  ringleaders  in  the  prankish  tricks  of  the  Shrews- 
bury Mohocks.  Then  all  at  once  he  fell  sober  again. 

"But  what's  the  good,"  he  said.  "We  can  clear  the 
deck,  'tis  true ;  but  be  never  a  whit  the  nearer  to  captur- 
ing the  vessel." 

"I  don't  know  that,"  said  I.  "If  we  clear  the  deck  they 
go  down  below ;  if  they  go  down  below  they  will  not  be 
able  to  keep  so  good  a  look-out  upon  us ;  and  while  the 
niggers  are  stoning  the  deck  we  may  get  a  chance  to 
creep  up  and  be  among  'em  before  they  know  it." 


322  HUMPHREY   BOLD 

"But  they  would  see  us  from  the  port-holes,"  he  per- 
sisted. 

"True,  if  we  are  fools  enough  to  approach  'em  broad- 
side," I  said.  "The  bow  is  pointing  shorewards;  if  we 
make  for  a  point  exactly  opposite  and  go  in  single  file  in 
a  line  with  the  vessel's  keel,  they  will  not  see  us  unless 
they  put  their  heads  clean  out  of  the  port-holes  and  look 
down  and  aslant,  and  they  will  not  do  that  with  the 
chance  of  getting  a  broken  skull." 

"Smite  my  timbers,"  cries  Joe,  "  'tis  a  pretty  ploy,  and 
would  tickle  my  captain  mightily.  We'll  do  it,  sir,  and 
all  I  wish  is  that  the  niggers  can  aim  straight." 

We  lost  no  time  in  putting  things  in  trim  for  the  ven- 
ture, and  indeed  'twould  not  be  long  before  the  tide 
washed  the  brig  and  rendered  the  attack  I  proposed  im- 
possible. Gathering  the  negroes,  we  set  them  to  collect 
stones  of  a  fair  size  (but  not  too  big,  for  I  did  not  wish 
to  break  holes  in  the  deck  with  jeopardy  to  Mistress 
Lucy),  and  pile  them  up  so  as  to  be  handy.  And  since  I 
have  ever  believed  that  folk,  whether  black  or  white,  work 
more  willingly  if  they  see  the  aim  and  purpose  of  their 
toil,  I  told  them  as  they  set  about  the  task  what  our  in- 
tent was.  It  pleased  them,  and  they  worked  with  a  will, 
being  indeed  childishly  eager  to  begin  the  bombardment 
before  the  time  was  ripe. 

When  a  sufficiency  of  missiles  had  been  collected,  I 
ranged  the  negroes  along  the  cliff  so  that,  while  they  could 
see  the  brig,  they  could  scarcely  be  seen  from  it.  They 
were  stupid  enough  to  be  sure;  from  what  I  saw  of  ne- 
groes then  and  since  I  can  not  but  think  they  are  no  better 
than  children  in  intelligence;  and  in  their  eagerness  to 
begin  this  merry  sport  as  they  regarded  it,  they  went  a 
deal  too  near  the  edge  of  the  cliff  and  exposed  too  large 
a  portion  of  their  bodies.  There  was  nothing  for  it  but 


WE   BOMBARD  THE   BRIG  323 

to  place  them  in  position  ourselves,  which  I  did,  Cludde 
and  Joe  assisting  (the  latter  with  some  roughness  of 
handling  and  of  speech),  and  we  marked  out  a  line  for 
them  beyond  which  we  forbade  them  to  advance.  Then, 
all  being  ready  I  gave  the  word.  Instantly  some  three 
score  stones,  none  less  than  a  pound  in  weight,  hurtled 
down,  many  of  them  falling  on  to  the  sand,  a  dozen, 
maybe,  finding  the  deck,  and  two  or  three  striking  the 
buccaneers. 

There  was  a  roar  from  below,  which  the  negroes  an- 
swered with  a  wild  whoop,  and  then  a  dozen  muskets 
flashed,  and  the  slugs  whistled  over  our  heads  or  embed- 
ded themselves  in  the  cliff.  Another  shower  of  stones 
fell,  a  greater  proportion  this  time  hitting  the  mark,  which 
filled  the  simple  negroes  with  such  joy  that  they  pressed 
forward  in  full  view  from  the  ship,  many  of  them  expos- 
ing the  whole  upper  half  of  their  bodies.  What  ensued 
taught  them  a  lesson.  A  second  fusillade  burst  from  the 
vessel;  two  of  the  negroes  fell  with  howls  of  pain;  the 
rest  scurried  back  in  dismay,  and  some  few  took  to  their 
heels  and  fled  squealing  into  the  woods.  I  called  them 
back  and  rated  them  soundly  for  disobeying  orders,  and 
then  we  placed  them  again  in  a  secure  position  and  the 
bombardment  recommenced. 

I  reckoned  that  within  a  minute  or  two  five  hundred 
stones  had  been  hurled  from  the  cliff,  and  though  many 
more  fell  upon  the  sand  than  upon  the  deck  I  saw  that 
the  effect  was  answering  my  hopes.  Some  of  the  crew 
retreated  to  the  lee  side  of  the  masts ;  others  crouched  un- 
der the  guns,  whence  they  fired  their  muskets,  slowly 
and  with  difficulty,  doing  us  no  harm ;  others  again  took 
refuge  by  the  break  of  the  poop,  and  in  the  round  house 
and  the  forecastle.  One  man  with  great  boldness  tried 
to  climb  the  rigging  to  the  cross-trees,  no  doubt  with  in- 


324  HUMPHREY   BOLD 

tent  to  get  a  better  aim.  But  he  instantly  became  the  tar- 
get for  a  perfect  hurricane  of  stones,  and  he  dropped  to 
the  deck  and  crawled  painfully  away.  In  a  few  minutes 
not  a  man  was  to  be  seen. 

Bidding  the  negroes  continue  to  throw,  but  not  so  rap- 
idly, I  lay  down  on  the  cliff  top  and  took  a  good  look  at 
the  vessel.  So  far  as  I  could  discover,  no  one  was  so 
posted  as  to  be  able  to  see  below  the  level  of  the  deck 
and  I  deemed  that  the  time  had  come  to  attempt  the  sec- 
ond and  more  hazardous  part  of  my  plan.  Leaving  Uncle 
Moses  to  superintend  the  activities  of  the  main  body  of 
negroes,  I  crept  down  the  gap  with  Cludde,  Punchard  and 
a  score  of  the  men  who  possessed  arms  of  a  sort,  and 
came  (not  without  some  perilous  stumbles)  to  the  sea 
line,  immediately  opposite  to  the  bow  of  the  brig.  Then 
those  of  us  who  had  muskets  lit  our  matches,  and  I  set 
forward  across  the  sand,  bending  almost  double,  and  mak- 
ing straight  for  the  figurehead,  the  others  close  behind 
me  in  single  file.  Stones  were  still  falling  from  the  cliff, 
and  I  was  in  fear,  as  we  approached  the  vessel,  lest  some 
of  the  negroes  should  be  hit  and  betray  us  with  a  cry. 
But  we  arrived  beneath  the  bow  without  this  mishap  and 
undiscovered,  and  crept  round  to  the  larboard  side,  where 
we  were  sheltered  by  the  intervening  hull. 

We  made  for  the  cable  to  which  the  kedge  anchor  was 
attached,  and  I  began  to  swarm  up,  any  sound  that  I  may 
have  made  being  smothered  by  the  clatter  of  stones  on  the 
planks  of  the  deck.  I  gained  the  poop  without  being  seen, 
but  immediately  afterwards  I  heard  a  yell  from  the  round- 
house, and  the  men  who  had  sheltered  there  began  to 
pour  out.  But  having  seen  the  uselessness  of  their  fusil- 
lade against  the  cliff  they  had  allowed  their  matches  to 
go  out,  so  that  I  was  for  the  moment  safe  from  musket 
shot.  When  I  fired  and  brought  down  the  first  man, 


WE  BOMBARD;  THE  BRIG         325 

the  rest  hesitated,  and  seeing  my  companions  clambering 
up  behind  me  they  scuttled  back  into  the  round-house 
again.  The  instant  Joe  Punchard  reached  the  deck  he 
swung  round  one  of  the  brass  guns  to  command  the 
round-house.  It  was  already  loaded  as  the  buccaneer 
knew,  and  Joe  cried  out  that  he  would  send  them  all  to 
Davy  Jones  if  they  showed  their  noses  outside  the  door.  , 

The  shower  of  stones  had  now  ceased,  and  the  men  who 
had  gone  below  were  swarming  up  to  meet  this  unlooked- 
for  boarding  party.  Cludde  and  I,  with  our  negroes,  were 
upon  them  before  they  had  time  to  collect  their  wits.  And 
then  ensued  as  pretty  a  bit  of  close  fighting  as  ever  I  was 
engaged  in.  We  laid  about  us  right  lustily  with  our 
clubbed  muskets,  and  I  will  say  for  the  black  men  that 
they  were  not  a  whit  less  doughty  than  the  white.  Our 
first  success  had,  I  suppose,  given  them  confidence;  and 
Noah,  with  his  firm  belief  in  the  virtue  of  the  talisman 
slung  about  his  neck,  threw  himself  into  the  very  fore- 
front of  the  struggle  dodging  the  cutlasses  of  the  bucca- 
neers with  great  agility,  and  slipping  in  under  their  guard 
with  shrewd  thrusts  of  his  knife. 

They  still  outnumbered  us,  I  think  (for  you  may  be 
sure  I  was  too  busy  to  count  them) ;  but  they  were  dis- 
heartened, no  doubt,  as  any  men  would  be,  at  this  rude 
and  sudden  onslaught  on  their  security,  and  with  their 
comrades  cooped  up  under  the  menace  of  the  guns  they 
fought  without  the  confidence  that  goes  so  far  to  win  vic- 
tory. Moreover,  they  lacked  leadership.  The  master  of 
the  brig,  as  I  afterwards  discovered,  was  in  the  round- 
house, and  Vetch  (in  this  equal  to  himself)  was  not  to  be 
seen,  having  ever  a  tender  regard  for  the  safety  of  his 
skin.  And  so,  after  some  few  minutes  of  it,  the  bucca- 
neers turned  tail  and  fled  for  their  lives  into  the  fore- 
castle, where  they  barricaded  themselves.  Leaving 


326  HUMPHREY   BOLD 

Cludde  to  keep  an  eye  on  them,  I  rushed  down  the  com- 
panion to  find  Vetch  and  to  assure  Mistress  Lucy  that 
her  troubles  were  at  an  end.  And  there  was  Vetch,  try- 
ing to  batter  down  the  door  of  the  cabin  in  which  she 
had  locked  herself.  His  design,  I  guessed,  was  to  seize 
her  and  use  her  to  extort  terms  from  us.  He  had  the 
advantage  of  me  in  that  I  was  coming  from  the  full  day- 
light into  the  dimness  of  below  decks,  and  before  I  had 
reached  the  ladder  foot  he  fired  his  pistol  at  me,  the  bul- 
let striking  my  thigh.  I  fell  to  the  floor ;  he  sprang  over 
my  body  and  up  the  steps ;  I  cried  out  to  Cludde  to  seize 
him,  and  to  Mistress  Lucy  that  the  fight  was  over,  and 
then  all  things  became  a  blank  to  me. 

When  I  came  to  myself,  I  knew  by  the  lazy  rocking  of 
the  vessel  that  it  was  once  more  afloat ;  I  was  lying  on  a 
bench  beneath  a  port-hole,  and  when  I  turned  my  head  to 
see  more  particularly  where  I  was,  Mistress  Lucy  came 
towards  me,  her  eyes  shining  with  kindness. 

"Mistress  Lucy !"  I  cried,  trying  to  rise,  but  wincing  at 
an  exquisite  pain  in  my  leg. 

"Don't  move,"  she  said.  "The  surgeon  said  you  were 
to  lie  quite  still." 

"The  surgeon!"  I  repeated,  scarce  believing  I  had 
heard  aright. 

"Yes,  you  are  surprised,"  she  said  with  a  smile;  "but 
that  is  not  the  strangest  of  the  many  strange  things  that 
have  happened  of  late.  One  of  the  crew  of  this  vessel 
was  once  a  surgeon ;  he  took  his  degrees  in  Edinburgh,  he 
told  me — " 

"And  that's  true,"  said  a  harsh  voice,  and  there  en- 
tered the  cabin  one  of  the  buccaneers — a  big  bottle-nosed 
fellow,  with  a  face  of  purple  hue.  "And  how  are  ye  the 
noo,  Mister?" 

"Mighty  shaky !"  I  said.    "What  is  wrong  with  me?" 


327 

"A  bit  wound  in  the  dexter  femur,"  he  said,  "within  a 
hair's  breadth  like  o'  your  femoral  artery  and  kingdom 
come.  But  ye'll  do  fine,"  he  added,  feeling  my  pulse. 
"Man,  ye've  good  blood  in  your  veins,  and  me  having  a 
good  hand  at  the  cutting,  we'll  verra  soon  have  ye  on  your 
two  feet  again ;  and  the  lassie  will  no  like  be  fashed  at  that, 
I'm  thinkin'." 

"I  am  to  thank  you  then  for  cutting  out  the  bullet,"  I 
said,  and  then,  remembering  how  I  had  come  by  it,  I 
cried :  "Have  they  got  that  villain?" 

"Meanin'  Vetch?"  says  the  man.  "Hoots!  Ye'll  no 
catch  him;  he's  a  slithery  man,  yon.  He  was  up  and 
awa'  before  he  could  be  stoppit,  with  a  wheen  o'  yelling 
niggers  after  him.  Aweel,  I'm  no  that  sorry  mysel',  for 
he  wasna  just  what  ye  would  call  a  gentleman." 

I  suppose  that  something  of  what  I  was  thinking 
showed  in  my  face,  for  the  Scotchman  continued : 

"I  had  naething  against  him  as  an  employer,  ye  ken; 
he  was  sound  wi'  the  siller ;  but  his  dealin'  wi'  sic  a  bonny 
lassie  kind  o'  affrontit  me,  and  I'm  well  enough  pleased 
ye  got  the  better  of  him  in  that  regard.  I  mind  o'  the 
time  when  I  had  a  wee  bit  lassie  mysel'." 

And  then  the  besotted  fellow  began  to  weep,  and  com- 
forted himself  with  a  long  pull  from  a  flask  he  took  from 
his  pocket.  'Twas  plain  that  the  drink  had  been  his  un- 
doing, and  indeed,  before  I  parted  company  with  him  in 
Port  Royal  some  days  later,  he  told  me  with  maudlin 
tears  the  story  of  his  declension  from  surgeon  on  a  king's 
ship  to  buccaneer,  and  preached  me  many  an  impressive 
sermon  on  the  text  of  the  bottle. 

Mistress  Lucy  had  withdrawn  while  we  were  talking, 
and  Sandy  MacLeod,  as  he  was  named,  dressed  my 
wound  again  with  a  hand  as  tender  as  a  woman's.  And 
then  Joe  Punchard  came  down  to  see  me,  Cludde  remain- 


328  HUMPHREY   BOLD 

ing  on  deck  to  keep  an  eye  on  the  crew.  Vetch  had 
sprung  overboard,  and  run  fleetly  as  a  deer  to  the  shore, 
and  though  the  negroes  on  the  cliff  sped  after  him  with 
yells  they  had  a  round  of  half  a  mile  to  go  over  rough 
ground,  and  could  not  catch  him.  I  would  fain  had  him 
in  my  power,  so  that  he  might  receive  his  deserts  at  the 
hands  of  a  jury,  and  be  deprived  at  least  of  further  op- 
portunities of  mischief,  but  my  vexation  at  his  escape 
was  solaced  by  the  knowledge  that  Mistress  Lucy's  safety 
was  secure.  I  talked  things  over  with  Joe,  and  we  de- 
cided to  sail  the  brig  round  the  coast  to  Port  Royal,  and 
hand  Mistress  Lucy  over  to  her  friends  in  Spanish  Town. 
The  management  of  her  estate  gave  us  some  concern.  It 
could  not  be  left,  without  a  responsible  head,  and  the 
overseers,  being,  as  I  learned  from  her,  men  whom  Vetch 
had  put  in  when  he  dismissed  McTavish  and  the  other 
white  men  whom  he  had  found  there  on  his  arrival,  were 
scarcely  to  be  trusted.  As  the  result  of  a  consultation 
with  Mistress  Lucy,  she  asked  Cludde  (who  had  begged 
and  received  her  forgiveness)  to  return  to  Penolver  and 
take  charge  until  we  should  have  had  time  to  reengage 
McTavish  and  send  him  up  from  Spanish  Town.  Mis- 
tress Lucy  being  now  of  age,  Vetch's  brief  authority  had 
come  to  an  end,  and  I  supposed  that  he  would  make  his 
I  way  to  Dry  Harbor  and  take  ship  to  England.  I  could 
imagine  the  rage  of  Sir  Richard  when  his  emissary  should 
return  and  report  the  total  failure  of  his  scheme.  Twould 
sort  with  his  violent  and  overbearing  character  to  make 
Vetch  a  scapegoat  (a  man  in  the  wrong  must  ever  have 
some  one  to  kick)  ;  and  I  wondered  to  what  new  villainy 
Cyrus  would  turn  for  his  livelihood. 
We  had  some  trouble  with  the  buccaneers  when  I  told 


WE   BOMBARD   THE   BRIG  329 

them  they  would  be  required  to  work  the  brig-  to  Port 
Royal.  They  felt  a  very  natural  reluctance  to  come  within 
reach  of  the  merchants  and  shipmen  who  had  suffered 
from  their  depredations.  But  I  took  it  upon  myself  to 
promise  them  good  pay  and  immunity  from  arrest,  pro- 
vided they  joined  a  king's  ship  forthwith,  and  being  sec- 
onded by  Sandy  MacLeod  the  surgeon,  who  had  much 
influence  with  his  comrades,  I  brought  them  to  acqui- 
esce. And  so,  having  bade  farewell  to  Cludde  and  the 
friendly  negroes,  Uncle  Moses  and  Noah  (Jacob  would 
accompany  me),  we  waited  a  few  hours  until  the  old 
nurse  Patty  had  been  sent  up  from  the  house  and  then  we 
unfurled  our  sails  to  a  favoring  wind,  and  in  the  course 
of  three  days  made  the  harbor  of  Port  Royal. 

During  the  voyage  I  saw  almost  nothing  of  Mistress 
Lucy.  My  wound  kept  me  to  my  cabin ;  she  did  not  often 
stir  from  hers,  and  'twas  Patty  who  bestowed  on  me  the 
ministrations  that  are  so  pleasant  to  a  sick  man.  I  own 
I  was  somewhat  disappointed  in  this  matter.  'Twas  noth- 
ing that  Mistress  Lucy  had  not  uttered  a  word  of  thanks 
to  me  for  what  I  had  done  for  her  (she  was  much  more 
affable  with  Joe  Punchard)  ;  her  refraining  spared  me 
embarrassment,  for  a  man  of  my  nature  is  ill  at  ease  un- 
der any  demonstration  of  gratitude ;  but  there  were  many 
other  things  we  might  have  talked  about,  and  the  mere 
sight  of  her  would  have  been  a  comfort.  But,  as  I  say, 
she  saw  me  but  seldom,  and  spoke  very  little,  and  I  felt  a 
spasm  of  jealousy  when  I  learned  that  she  spent  hours  on 
deck  chatting  with  Punchard,  who  for  his  part,  when  he 
came  to  see  me,  spoke  of  her  with  all  the  adoration  of  a 
worshipper.  And  when,  on  arriving  at  Port  Royal,  I 
was  carried  ashore,  and  Mistress  Lucy  came  and  took 


330  HUMPHREY   BOLD 

leave  of  me,  she  said  nothing  but  a  mere  "Good-by,  Mr. 
Bold,"  though  to  be  sure  she  looked  on  me  with  wondrous 
kindness.  And  when  she  was  gone  I  could  not  forbear 
heaving  a  monstrous  sigh  at  the  thought  that  she  was 
now  a  lady  of  great  property,  whereas  I  was  but  a  second 
lieutenant,  poor  on  eighty  pounds  a  year. 


CHAPTER  XXX 

THE  SIX  DAYS'  BATTLE 

My  wound  kept  me  laid  up  for  a  fortnight,  and  hob- 
bling for  another,  so  that  I  was  unluckily  prevented  from 
accompanying  my  captain  in  a  little  expedition  in  which 
he  gained  much  credit  and  a  goodly  portion  of  prize 
money.  The  Falmouth  was  sent  by  Admiral  Benbow, 
with  the  Ruby  and  the  Experiment,  to  cruise  off  the  Petit- 
Guavas.  'Twas  the  middle  of  May  when  they  returned 
(with  four  prizes,  one  a  very  rich  ship),  and  meanwhile 
things  had  happened  which  mitigated  my  disappointment. 
We  learned  in  April  from  Rear-Admiral  Whetstone,  who 
had  joined  the  vice-admiral,  of  the  death  of  King  William 
and  the  accession  of  the  Princess  Anne,  and  knowing  how 
much  the  new  queen  was  under  the  influence  of  the  Earl 
of  Marlborough's  lady,  we  had  little  doubt  that  England 
would  soon  be  at  war  with  France.  A  few  days  before 
my  ship  returned  to  port  we  had  advice  of  the  rupture 
between  the  two  countries,  and  when  Captain  Vincent  in- 
formed the  admiral  that  Monsieur  Chateau-Renaud  was 
at  the  Havana,  with  six  and  twenty  men-of-war,  waiting 
for  the  great  treasure  fleet  from  Santa  Cruz,  we  looked 
forward  with  lively  anticipation  to  the  imminent  conflict. 
And  it  chancing  that  one  of  the  second  lieutenants  of  the 
flagship  was  sick,  Mr.  Benbow  with  great  kindness  ap- 
pointed me,  being  now  perfectly  recovered,  to  fill  his 
room.  I  parted  with  regret  from  Captain  Vincent,  whom 
I  esteemed  a  better  commander  than  Captain  Fogg,  of  the 

331 


332  HUMPHREY   BOLD 

Breda,  but  I  was  greatly  delighted  at  the  prospect  of  serv- 
ing under  Mr.  Benbow's  eye,  and  in  hardly  less  degree  at 
being  on  the  same  ship  as  Joe  Punchard,  who  had  re- 
turned to  his  duty  as  the  admiral's  servant. 

It  was  nigh  two  months  before  the  vice-admiral  hoisted 
his  flag  and  set  sail.  In  the  interim  he  had  despatched 
Rear- Admiral  Whetstone  to  intercept  Monsieur  du  Casse, 
who,  as  he  was  informed,  was  expected  at  Port  Louis,  at 
the  west  end  of  Hispaniola,  with  four  men-of-war,  to  de- 
stroy our  trade  for  negroes.  At  length  sailing  orders  were 
given  to  the  fleet,  and  on  the  evening  before  we  departed 
we  attended  a  grand  entertainment  given  by  the  new  gov- 
ernor, Brigadier-General  Selwyn,  who  had  arrived  towards 
the  latter  end  of  January.  All  the  important  people  of  the 
colony  accepted  the  governor's  invitation,  and  among  them 
was  Mistress  Lucy.  I  had  seen  her  many  times  since  I 
had  recovered  of  my  wound,  and,  I  own,  was  somewhat 
piqued  at  her  conduct  towards  me,  for  though  always  per- 
fectly kind,  she  was  no  more  cordial  to  me  than  to  a  score 
of  my  fellow  officers.  Indeed,  if  any  one  was  favored 
more  than  another,  it  was  Dick  Cludde,  who  had,  since  his 
breach  with  Vetch,  cast  off  his  bad  habits,  and  appeared 
to  be  on  an  excellent  footing  with  his  cousin. 

I  had  always  thought  him  a  lubber,  and  the  good  quali- 
ties he  now  showed  annoyed  (I  am  ashamed  to  say)  as 
much  as  they  surprised  me.  'Twas  clear  that  he  was  hum- 
bly paying  his  court  to  the  lady,  and  feeling  myself  de- 
barred by  my  poverty  from  entering  the  lists  against  him, 
I  could  but  stand  aside  and  fume  at  his  greater  advan- 
tages. Lucy  danced  much  with  him  at  the  governor's 
ball ;  she  was  so  beset  by  would-be  partners  that  when  I, 
who  had  somewhat  morosely  hung  back,  approached  her 
to  ask  her  for  a  place  on  her  card,  she  hummed,  and 
pursed  her  lips,  and  said  she  feared  I  was  too  late,  and 


THE   SIX   DAYS'   BATTLE  333 

then,  with  a  pretty  air  of  relenting,  announced  that  she 
could  give  me  one  dance  towards  the  end. 

I  was  standing,  gloomily  watching  her  dance  with 
Cludde,  when  I  felt  a  tap  on  my  arm,  and  saw  Mistress 
Lucetta  Gurney  (whom  I  have  before  mentioned)  smiling 
up  at  me  from  behind  her  fan. 

"Why  these  black  looks,  Mr.  Bold?"  says  she. 

"Because  you  have  not  favored  me  with  a  dance,  Mis- 
tress Lucetta,"  said  I,  with  a  very  low  bow. 

"Fie,  Mr.  Bold,"  cries  she,  "when  did  you  ask  me?" 

"I  ask  you  now,"  I  said,  and  with  that  I  took  her  under 
my  arm  and  strode  among  the  dancers  with  so  fierce  and 
determined  an  air  (as  Mistress  Lucetta  told  me)  that,  be- 
ing more  than  common  tall,  I  was  much  observed  and  hu- 
morously criticized  by  the  company.  I  suppose  I  carried 
the  same  fierceness  into  my  dancing,  for  after  footing  it 
for  the  space  of  a  minute,  Mistress  Lucetta  begged  me 
to  stop,  saying  she  had  no  fancy  for  dancing  with  a 
whirlwind. 

"Take  me  to  a  seat,  Mr.  Bold.  I  am  going  to  talk  to 
you,"  she  said. 

And  talk  to  me  she  did,  in  a  way  that  mightily  sur- 
prised me. 

"Do  you  think  I  don't  see  through  you,  Mr.  Bold?" 
she  said.  "You  are  most  desperately  jealous  of  Mr. 
Cludde;  you  know  you  are;  and  of  every  other  man  in 
the  room;  and  you  show  it,  which  is  a  very,  very  silly 
thing  to  do.  Oh,  don't  speak;  you  would  only  tell  me 
stories.  Listen  to  me.  Lucy  is  a  dear  friend  of  mine, 
and  I  know  all  about  everything.  You  are  a  disgrace 
to  your  name,  sir." 

"Why,  what  have  I  done?"  I  asked,  amazed  at  the 
sternness  she  had  suddenly  thrown  into  her  voice.  And 
she  burst  into  a  ripple  of  laughter. 


334  HUMPHREY   BOLD. 

"I  do  think  you  are  the  stupidest  man  alive,"  she  said. 
"Is  not  your  name  Bold,  and  are  you  not  timid,  and  back- 
ward, and  humble,  and  despondent,  and  a  great  big  baby ! 
Why,  Lucy  thinks  the  world  of  you;  she  is  never  tired 
of  hearing  that  red-haired  man  Punchard  talk  of  you; 
and  yet  you  are  glum,  and  scowl  at  her,  and  glower  at 
jthe  men  who  are  cheerful  and  try  to  amuse  her,  and  whom 
she  doesn't  care  a  button  for.  Oh,  Mr.  Bold,  'tis  you  who 
ought  to  change  your  name,  for  to  be  sure  you  will  never 
persuade  her  to  change  hers." 

"But  Dick  Cludde  I"  I  stammered,  taken  aback  by  this 
plain  speaking. 

"Is  going  to  dance  with  me,  sir,"  she  said,  springing 
up  as,  the  dance  being  over,  Dick  came  to  claim  her  for 
the  next. 

I  wandered  into  the  governor's  beautiful  garden,  and, 
pacing  up  and  down,  pondered  what  the  lively  Lucetta  had 
said.  Was  it  true  that  Lucy  did  not  care  a  button  for  the 
men  who  courted  her  so  assiduously  ?  Was  Lucetta  seek- 
ing to  make  a  fool  of  me  ?  Did  Lucy's  apparent  indiffer- 
ence mask  another  feeling?  My  thoughts  made  a  flying 
circle  of  perplexity  and  I  could  not  anywise  come  at  a  res- 
olution. And  then  I  remembered  again  how  far  above 
me  Lucy  was  in  worldly  position,  and  how  I  had  nothing, 
barring  a  few  hundred  pounds  of  prize  money  and  my 
paltry  eighty  pounds  (or  less)  a  year.  What  had  I  to 
offer  her?  And  besides  this,  I  felt  a  scruple  (even  sup- 
posing my  chances  were  not  hopeless)  against  seeking 
to  engage  her  while  she  was  so  far  from  the  relatives 
whose  advice  she  would  naturally  seek.  'Twould  savor 
much  of  fortune  hunting,  I  thought,  if  I  sought  her  hand 
so  close  upon  her  coming  of  age.  The  upshot  of  my 
meditations  was  that  I  must  cleave  to  my  former  resolve, 
and  wait  at  least  until  I  should  have  been  promoted  to 


THE   SIX   DAYS'   BATTLE  335 

captain's  rank,  and  then  seek  Her  at  her  uncle's  house  and 
put  my  fate  to  the  hazard. 

Whether  my  resolution  would  have  survived  a  dance 
with  her  I  know  not.  When  I  went  back  to  the  hall  to 
claim  her  I  found  I  was  too  late :  she  was  dancing  with  a 
young  popinjay  of  Collingwood's  regiment.  I  watched 
them  gloomily,  in  high  dudgeons,  though  'twas  my  own 
fault,  and  I  did^not  even  get  an  opportunity  of  bidding  her 
farewell. 

Next  day  ('twas  the  eleventh  of  July)  we  sailed  out  of 
Port  Royal,  amid  salvos  of  artillery,  the  merchant  ships 
in  the  harbour  being  all  dressed  with  flags.  The  Breda, 
in  which  I  was  now  serving,  led  the  van,  and  the  squad- 
ron consisted,  besides  another  third-rate,  of  six  fourth- 
rates,  a  fireship,  a  bomb  vessel,  a  tender  and  a  sloop.  Mr. 
Benbow  designed  to  join  Rear- Admiral  Whetstone,  but 
we  were  soon  spoken  by  the  Colchester,  from  which  we 
learned  that  Monsieur  du  Casse  was  expected  at  Leogane, 
and  making  for  that  place,  we  arrived  on  the  twenty-sev- 
enth. We  saw  several  ships  at  anchor  near  the  town,  and 
one  of  them  being  under  sail,  we  pursued  her,  and  found 
her  to  be  a  man-of-war  of  fifty  guns.  She  did  not  stay 
to  try  conclusions  with  us,  but  ran  ashore,  and  then  her 
captain,  to  prevent  her  from  falling  into  our  hands,  blew 
her  up.  Next  morning  we  had  the  good  fortune  to  cap- 
ture with  ease  three  other  French  ships  and  to  sink  a 
fourth ;  and  perceiving  that  a  vessel  of  eighteen  guns  was 
being  hauled  inshore  under  the  guns  of  the  fort,  the  ad- 
miral sent  the  boat  in,  which  burned  her  to  the  ground, 
and  brought  off  some  other  ships  with  wine  and  stores 
aboard. 

We  came  next  day  before  Petit-Guavas,  and  saw  three 
or  four  small  ships  in  the  harbor  called  the  Cul,  which 
was  so  strong  by  its  natural  position,  and  so  well  de- 


336  HUMPHREY   BOLD 

fended,  that  Mr.  Benbow  thought  it  not  advisable  to  run 
any  risk  there  for  vessels  of  little  value.  We  continued 
for  three  days  in  the  bay,  and  sailed  from  thence  for  Cape 
Donna  Maria,  on  the  west  side  of  Hispaniola,  where  we 
learned  that  Monsieur  du  Casse  was  gone  to  Cartagena. 
'Twas  clear  that  the  Frenchman  was  in  no  mind  to  en- 
counter  us,  and  there  was  a  good  deal  of  grumbling 
among  our  men  at  the  wild  goose  chase  on  which  we  ap- 
peared to  be  engaged.  Falling  in  with  Rear-Admiral 
Whetstone,  who  had  taken  three  ships  of  the  enemy,  Mr. 
Benbow  despatched  him  back  to  Jamaica  to  look  to  the 
safety  of  that  island,  being  resolved  himself  to  cruise 
about  until  he  should  come  in  touch  with  the  fleet  of 
Monsieur  du  Casse. 

On  the  tenth  of  August  we  left  Cape  Donna  Maria,  the 
Breda  being  accompanied  by  the  Defiance  (of  which 
Captain  Kirkby  was  commander,  and  Dick  Cludde  first 
lieutenant),  the  Falmouth  (with  my  friend  Captain  Vin- 
cent), the  Ruby,  the  Greenwich,  the  Pendennis  and  the 
Windsor.  Early  in  the  morning  of  the  twenty-ninth  we 
came  over  against  the  coast  of  Santa  Martha,  and  espied 
ten  ships  sailing  under  topsails  westward  along  the  shore, 
and  soon  perceived  them  to  be  the  French.  Four  of  them 
were  great  vessels  of  sixty  or  seventy  guns.  Some  of  our 
ships  being  three  or  four  miles  astern,  Mr.  Benbow  flew 
the  signal  for  action,  and  went  on  under  easy  sail  so  that 
the  others  might  come  up  with  us.  He  had  disposed  his 
line  of  battle  with  the  flagship  in  the  center,  the  Defiance 
at  the  extreme  left,  and  the  Falmouth  at  the  extreme 
right. 

On  board  the  Breda  we  were  all  desperately  eager  for 
the  fight,  and  I  could  not  watch  without  admiration  the 
coolness  with  which  Mr.  Benbow  made  his  disposition, 
and  the  particular  order  and  cheerfulness  that  prevailed 


THE    SIX   DAYS'    BATTLE  337 

among  the  men.  Our  consorts  were  long  in  coming  up, 
and  I  observed  the  admiral  to  grow  very  uneasy  as  he 
watched  them  through  his  perspective  glass.  He  bit 
his  lips,  and  frowned,  and  at  last  broke  out  into  indignant 
speech,  especially  against  the  Defiance  and  the  Windsor, 
which  were  making  but  little  haste  to  come  into  their 
stations.  He  was  ever  a  man  of  quick  temper,  and  his 
habit  of  speaking  his  mind  freely  accounted  in  some  meas- 
ure for  his  unpopularity  with  some  of  his  captains.  But 
to  my  mind  he  was  fully  justified  in  the  bitterness  with 
which  he  now  spoke  of  Captain  Kirkby  of  the  Defiance 
and  Captain  Constable  of  the  Windsor.  Evening  was 
drawing  on,  and  though  the  enemy  was  stronger  than  we, 
both  in  numbers  and  armament,  Mr.  Benbow  made  no 
doubt  we  should  give  a  good  account  of  ourselves  if  only 
the  captains  would  loyally  support  him. 

At  length,  to  bring  on  an  engagement  before  night,  the 
admiral  ran  alongside  of  the  enemy,  being  to  windward, 
and  steering  large,  not  intending  to  attack  before  the 
Defiance  was  abreast  of  the  headmost  ship.  But  before 
this  was  done  the  Falmouth  opened  the  fight  by  firing  on  a 
great  Dutch-built  ship  in  the  rear,  and  the  Windsor  and 
the  Defiance  immediately  did  likewise,  though  they  had 
not  arrived  at  the  appointed  stations.  Cursing  with  vexa- 
tion at  this  violation  of  orders,  the  admiral  saw  himself 
forced  to  open  fire  upon  the  nearest  French  ship,  which 
had  already  given  us  a  harmless  broadside.  And  then 
to  our  amazement  we  saw  the  Defiance  and  the  Windsor, 
though  they  had  received  but  two  or  three  broadsides 
apiece  (in  one  of  which  Dick  Cludde  got  a  severe  hurt) 
luff  out  of  gunshot,  so  that  the  two  sternmost  ships  of 
the  French  were  free  to  lay  upon  the  Breda.  I  think  I 
never  saw  a  man  in  such  a  passion  of  anger  as  Mr.  Ben- 
bow  was  then.  He  mingled  hot  reproaches  of  the  erring 


338  HUMPHREY    BOLD 

captains  with  words  of  cheer  to  our  gunners,  and  though 
we  were  the  target  for  three  of  the  enemy's  ships,  he  bade 
Captain  Fogg  keep  us  in  touch  with  them  and  swore  that 
he  would  fight  the  whole  squadron  single-handed. 

Twas  four  o'clock  before  the  action  became  general,  so 
sluggish  were  our  vessels  in  coming  into  line,  and  the 
firing  continued  till  nightfall,  by  which  time  we  on  the 
Breda  had  suffered  severely.  We  kept  the  French  com- 
pany all  night,  and  during  the  night  watches  the  admiral, 
believing  that  if  he  led  himself  on  both  tacks  the  captains 
for  very  shame  could  not  fail  to  follow  his  example,  al- 
tered the  line  of  battle  accordingly,  the  Defiance  coming 
next  to  the  Breda.  At  daybreak  the  Breda  was  near  the 
enemy,  but  only  the  Ruby  was  up  with  us,  the  rest  of  the 
squadron  lying  three,  four,  and  five  miles  astern,  and 
there  was  little  wind.  We  were  within  gunshot  of  the 
-  French,  but  they  were  civil  enough  not  to  fire,  and  in- 
deed 'twas  clear  as  the  day  went  on  that  they  were  not 
eager  to  fight  us,  for  on  a  sea-breeze  coming  up  they 
got  into  a  line  and  made  what  sail  they  could.  One  ship 
set  off  with  the  Ruby  in  pursuit,  plying  our  chase  guns 
on  them  till  night;  but  the  other  ships  again  delayed  to 
come  up  with  us,  and  we  were  left  to  keep  the  enemy  com- 
pany. 

Next  morning  at  daylight  we  found  ourselves  on  the 
quarter  of  the  second  ship  of  the  enemy's  squadron,  with- 
in point-blank  shot,  the  Ruby  being  ahead  of  us.  The 
Trench  ships  fired  at  the  Ruby,  which  returned  their  fire ; 
and  the  two  French  vessels  which  were  ahead  fell  off,  and 
there  being  little  wind,  brought  their  guns  to  bear  on 
our  consort.  Mr.  Benbow  gave  orders  that  we  should 
send  our  broadside  upon  the  ship  that  first  began,  which 
our  gunners  did  with  such  right  good  will  that  they 
brought  her  masts  and  rigging  tumbling  down,  and  shat- 


THE   SIX  DAYS'   BATTLE  339 

tered  her  so  that  she  had  to  lower  her  boats  to  tow  her 
away.  But  the  Ruby  had  suffered  in  no  less  a  degree, 
and  the  admiral  ordered  Captain  Fogg  to  lay  by  her  and 
send  his  boats  to  tow  her  off. 

This  action  had  lasted  for  nigh  two  hours,  during  which 
the  Defiance  and  Windsor  had  come  abreast  of  the  rear 
French  ship  and  though  within  point-blank  range  had 
never  fired  one  gun  at  her.  The  admiral  ground  his  teeth 
and  swore  he  would  court-martial  the  captains  when  we 
came  to  port.  Meanwhile  a  gale  had  sprung  up,  and  the 
enemy  again  made  all  sail,  and  we  set  off  in  chase.  At 
two  in  the  afternoon  we  got  abreast  of  two  of  the  stern- 
most  of  the  enemy's  ships  off  the  mouth  of  the  Rio 
Grande,  and  in  hopes  to  disable  them  in  their  masts  and 
rigg"mg  we  began  to  fire  on  them,  as  did  some  of  our 
vessels  astern;  but  the  Frenchmen,  seeing  the  Breda  so 
ill  supported,  paid  no  heed  to  any  other,  but  pointed 
wholly  at  us,  doing  much  hurt  to  our  rigging,  and  maim- 
ing some  of  our  men.  After  the  fight  had  continued  up- 
wards of  two  hours,  the  Frenchmen  drew  off  out  of  gun- 
shot, and  we  made  what  sail  we  could  after  them,  but 
they  used  all  possible  shifts  to  evade  fighting,  our  men 
shouting  after  them  derisively  as  cowardly  curs.  Dark- 
ness put  a  stop  to  the  pursuit,  but  again  we  hugged  the 
enemy  all  night,  hoping  that  next  day  would  see  the  con- 
clusion of  this  long-drawn  battle. 

When  the  third  morning  dawned,  we  spied  the  enemy 
about  a  mile  and  a  half  ahead.  Of  our  ships  the  half- 
crippled  Ruby  was  nearest,  the  Falmouth  next;  the  rest 
were  but  indifferently  near,  the  Greenwich  indeed  lying 
full  three  leagues  astern,  though  the  admiral  had  never 
struck  his  signal  for  battle  night  of  day.  For  many  hours 
the  wind  blew  easterly,  but  at  three  in  the  afternoon  it 
shifted  to  the  south  and  gave  the  enemy  the  weather 


340  HUMPHREY   BOLD 

gauge.  In  tacking  we  fetched  within  gunshot  of  the 
sternmost  of  them,  and  for  half  an  hour  or  so  we  kept  up 
a  brisk  bombardment ;  but  our  line  was  still  much  out  of 
order,  and  some  of  our  ships  being  even  now  three  miles 
astern,  nothing  more  could  be  done.  And  so  another  day 
passed.  The  other  vessels  had  not  come  within  speak- 
ing distance  of  us,  and  it  seemed  that  all  hope  of  bring- 
ing the  enemy  to  a  decisive  engagement  must  be  aban- 
doned. 

The  dawn  of  the  fourth  morning  found  the  French- 
men six  miles  ahead,  and  one  less  in  number,  for  the 
great  Dutch  ship  had  separated  from  the  squadron  and 
was  out  of  sight.  The  Defiance  and  Windsor,  ever  the 
most  dilatory  of  our  vessels,  were  at  this  time  four  miles 
astern.  About  ten  o'clock  the  wind  then  blowing  east- 
nor'-east,  but  very  variable,  the  enemy  tacked,  and  the 
admiral  fetched  within  range  of  two  of  them,  giving  them 
his  broadside  and  receiving  from  them  many  shrewd 
knocks.  Then,  tacking  also,  he  pursued  them  with  what 
speed  he  might,  and  about  noon  contrived  to  cut  off  from 
their  line  a  small  English  ship,  the  Ann  galley,  which  they 
had  taken  off  Lisbon.  This  small  success  cheered  our 
drooping  spirits  a  little;  but  a  complete  victory  seemed 
further  off  than  ever,  for  the  Ruby  proved  to  be  so  dis- 
abled that  the  admiral  ordered  her  to  return  to  Port 
Royal,  so  that  we  had  five  ships  against  the  enemy's  nine. 
During  the  day  our  vessels  drew  somewhat  closer  to  us, 
the  Falmouth  being  the  foremost,  and  we  gained  some 
four  miles  upon  the  enemy  by  sunset. 

Ever  since  we  had  first  sighted  the  Frenchmen,  Mr. 
Benbow  had  snatched  but  a  few  hours'  sleep  each  night, 
and  was  becoming  worn  out  for  want  of  rest  and  for  bitter 
mortification  at  the  ill-conduct  of  his  captains.  Tis  true 
the  enemy  had  shown  no  disposition  to  stand,  and  the 


THE    SIX   DAYS'    BATTLE  341 

light  winds  had  not  favored  the  overhauling  of  them, 
and  I  was  very  sure  that  in  the  case  of  Captain  Vincent, 
at  any  rate,  'twas  sheer  ill-luck  that  prevented  him  from 
giving  the  admiral  support.  But  I  had  other  ideas  of  the 
behavior  of  the  captains  of  the  vessels  that  hung  back 
most.  Captain  Kirkby  of  the  Defiance  and  Captain  Wade 
of  the  Greenwich  I  knew  to  be  of  the  anti-Benbow  party, 
and  though  I  had  not  the  same  knowledge  of  Captain 
Constable  of  the  Windsor  and  Captain  Hudson  of  the 
Pendennis,  I  suspected  that  they  were  infected  by  the 
same  blight,  for  I  could  not  believe  that  officers  of  the 
English  navy  could  be  arrant  cowards. 

On  the  night  of  the  twenty-fourth  I  had  the  middle 
watch.  Towards  two  o'clock  Joe  Punchard  came  to  me, 
smoking  a  pipe,  and  looking  more  miserable  than  I  had 
ever  seen  him. 

"Twill  break  my  captain's  heart  if  we  have  another  day 
of  it,"  he  says  gloomily.  "He  looks  five  years  older  than 
he  did  when  we  left  Port  Royal.  He  can't  sleep,  and  if 
he  do  fall  into  a  doze  he  starts  up  like  a  child  out  of  a 
bad  dream.  He  swears  he  will  court-martial  the  captains, 
every  man  jack  of  them,  when  we  get  to  port,  but  that 
won't  win  us  the  battle,  and  he  has  set  his  heart  on  giv- 
ing the  Frenchmen  a  drubbing.  And  he's  took  a  notion 
that  he'll  never  get  through  alive,  which  is  so  uncommon 
unlike  him,  being  mostly  so  cheery,  that  it  gives  me  the 
dumps  bad." 

I  was  saying  what  I  could  to  cheer  the  good  fellow 
when  the  look-out  cries  he  sees  a  sail  ahead.  The  ad- 
miral rushes  out  of  his  cabin  and  orders  the  drums  to 
beat  to  quarters.  In  an  instant,  as  it  seemed,  the  decks 
were  full  of  men.  'Twas  a  clear  night,  with  very  little 
wind,  and  we  could  see  one  of  the  French  ships  within 
hail  of  us.  We  gave  her  a  tremendous  broadside  from 


342  HUMPHREY    BOLD* 

all  three  decks  at  once,  with  double  shot,  round  below, 
and  round  and  partridge  aloft.  She  returned  it  hotly, 
striking  down  many  of  our  good  fellows ;  I  myself  nar- 
rowly escaped  one  of  the  shot,  which  hit  a  man  at  my 
side,  carrying  away  his  right  arm  clear  from  the  shoulder. 
We  kept  up  the  duel  of  firing  for  near  an  hour,  and  then 
I  heard  a  great  cry  go  up  that  the  admiral  was  wounded, 
and  by  and  by  Joe  comes  to  me  with  tears  streaming 
down  his  cheeks,  and  says  that  the  admiral's  right  leg 
was  shattered  to  pieces  by  a  chain  shot,  and  he  was  car- 
ried below.  But  while  he  was  still  talking  to  me  we  heard 
a  great  shout  and  there  was  Mr.  Benbow  being  hoisted 
in  his  cradle  on  to  the  quarter-deck,  and  crying  out  "Good 
cheer,  my  hearties!  The  Frenchmen  have  given  me  a 
knock,  but  we've  got  'em  now  and  by  God!  we'll  beat 
'em !"  And  then  they  cheered  him  again,  and  he,  sitting 
in  his  cradle,  making  nothing  of  his  dreadful  pain,  gave 
orders  and  shouted  encouragement  for  a  good  three  hours. 
When  the  morning  light  showed  us  the  ship  we  had  been 
fighting,  she  appeared  a  mere  ruin ;  her  mainyard  down 
and  shot  to  pieces,  her  fore-topsail-yard  shot  away,  her 
mizen  mast  by  the  board,  all  her  rigging  gone,  and  her 
sides  bored  through  and  through  with  our  double-headed 
shot.  And  near  by  us  stood  my  old  ship  the  Falmouth, 
which  in  the  darkness  had  assisted  us  very  much  in  crip- 
pling this  great  vessel  of  seventy  guns,  the  sternmost  of 
the  French  squadron. 

Soon  afterwards  we  saw  the  other  ships  of  the  enemy 
bearing  down  upon  us  before  a  strong  easterly  wind;  at 
the  same  time  the  Windsor,  Pendennis  and  Greenwich, 
ahead  of  the  enemy,  ran  to  leeward  of  the  disabled  ship, 
gave  her  their  broadsides  ('twas  like  flogging  a  dead 
horse),  and  then  stood  to  the  southward.  Whereupon 
up  comes  the  Defiance,  and  passes  like  the  others;  and 


343 

while  we  were  still  in  our  amazement  at  this  sudden 
bravery,  the  battered  ship  fired  twenty  of  her  guns  at  the 
Defiance,  whereupon  she  ports  her  helm  a-weather  and 
runs  away  right  before  the  wind,  lowering  both  her  top- 
sails without  any  regard  to  the  signal  for  battle.  This 
was  more  than  our  men  could  stomach ;  breaking  all  dis- 
cipline, they  pursued  the  coward  ship  with  groans  and 
curses.  I  glanced  at  the  admiral,  sitting  erect  on  the 
quarter  deck,  and  his  pale  face  was  drawn  with  a  look  of 
utter  despair. 

The  enemy,  seeing  our  other  two  ships  stand  to  the 
southward,  clearly  expected  them  to  tack,  for  they  brought 
to  with  their  heads  to  the  northward,  preparing  to  meet 
their  fire.  But  when  they  perceived  that  our  dastard 
captains  had  no  such  intent,  but  were  beyond  doubt  run- 
ning away,  they  bore  down  upon  the  Breda  and  ran  be- 
tween us  and  the  disabled  ship,  firing  all  their  guns,  shoot- 
ing away  our  main-topsail  yard,  and  shattering  our  rig- 
ging. 

"For  God's  sake,  Mr.  Fogg,"  cried  the  admiral,  "fire 
a  couple  of  shots  at  those  villains  ahead  and  mind  them 
of  their  duty !" 

This  the  captain  did,  but  the  others  took  not  the  least 
notice  of  his  signal.  He  stamped  and  swore  like  a  mad- 
man, and  I  went  hot  with  shame  to  think  of  what  opinion 
the  Frenchmen  must  have  of  us.  And  with  our  rigging 
all  shot  away  we  had  to  lay  by  and  look  at  them  as  they 
brought  to,  remanned  their  own  shattered  ship,  and  took 
her  in  tow.  Sure  never  did  English  admiral  before  or 
since  suffer  such  undeserved  humiliation. 

Our  men  set  to  work  diligently  to  refit  the  vessel,  and 
this  being  done  by  ten  o'clock,  Mr.  Benbow  ordered  the 
captain  to  pursue  the  enemy,  who  was  then  about  three 
miles  distant,  and  to  leeward,  having  the  disabled  ship  in 


344  HUMPHREY   BOLD 

tow,  and  steering  northeast,  the  wind  being  sou'-sou'- 
west.  We  made  all  the  sail  we  could,  the  battle-signal  al- 
ways flying  at  the  fore ;  and  the  enemy,  taking  encourage- 
ment from  the  behavior  of  some  of  our  captains,  now 
showed  the  first  signs  of  waiting  for  us.  Whereupon  the 
admiral  ordered  Captain  Fogg  to  send  to  the  other  cap- 
tains and  bid  them  keep  their  line  and  behave  themselves 
like  men.  And  when  our  boat  returned  from  this  errand 
there  was  Captain  Kirkby  in  it.  He  came  aboard  the 
Breda  and  went  up  to  the  admiral,  who  never  left  the 
quarter-deck.  There  were  high  words  between  them;  I 
learned  afterwards  that  Captain  Kirkby  pressed  Mr.  Ben- 
bow  very  earnestly  to  desist  from  any  further  engage- 
ment, alleging  that  he  had  tried  the  enemy's  strength  with 
little  success  for  six  days  together.  "And  whose  fault  is 
that,  sir?"  roared  the  admiral.  Then,  with  difficulty 
curbing  his  anger,  he  bade  Captain  Fogg  signal  to  the 
other  captains  to  come  aboard,  so  that  he  might  know 
whether  they  were  all  of  the  same  mind  as  that  craven. 

They  obeyed  this  signal  with  wondrous  alacrity.  They 
came  aboard,  and  for  two  mortal  hours  the  admiral, 
racked  and  almost  fainting  with  pain,  reasoned,  expostu- 
lated, pleaded,  showed  them  that  now  they  had  the  fairest 
opportunity  of  success,  seeing  that  our  ships  were  all  in 
good  condition,  and  only  eight  men  killed  in  all  the  squad- 
ron save  those  the  Breda  had  lost ;  that  we  had  plenty  of 
ammunition ;  that  three  or  four  of  the  enemy's  ships  had 
suffered  injury  and  one  was  quite  disabled  and  in  tow. 
'Twas  all  in  vain.  The  most  of  them  concurred  with 
Captain  Kirkby's  opinion,  that  it  was  undesirable  to  con- 
tinue the  fight,  nor  could  any  reasoning  turn  them.  And 
then  they  put  their  names  to  a  paper,  formally  giving 
their  opinion,  and  (though  I  did  not  know  this  till  after- 
wards) Captain  Fogg  and  my  own  old  commander,  Cap- 


THE   SIX   DAYS'   BATTLE  345 

tain  Vincent,  signed  with  the  rest.  After  this  there  was  no 
more  to  be  done.  If  the  admiral  had  been  unwounded  I 
believe  he  would  have  stood  out  against  them  all  and 
fought  the  enemy  single-handed :  but  he  had  no  assurance 
of  being  in  a  fit  state  to  direct  the  battle ;  'twas  clear  the 
captains  had  no  mind  to  fight;  and  rather  than  imperil 
the  whole  squadron  and  let  the  French  boast  of  a  vic- 
tory he  resolved  to  venture  no  further.  And  so  we  let 
the  enemy  depart  unmolested,  and  returned  to  Jamaica. 

On  the  way  I  had  the  privilege  of  some  talk  with  the 
admiral.  Deeply  mortified  as  he  was  at  his  own  ill- 
success,  his  personal  grief  was  outweighed  by  his  sense 
of  the  national  disappointment  which  must  attend  the 
frustration  of  his  design. 

"And  'tis  my  last  fight,  Bold,"  he  said  to  me.  "I  shall 
not  live  to  meet  the  French  again,  and  'tis  a  sore  trial  to 
me  to  go  out  of  the  world  a  failure." 

"You  are  not  a  failure,  sir,"  I  said.  "  Tis  those  ras- 
cally captains  who  have  failed  and  are  disgraced  for  ever ; 
and  be  sure  our  people  will  do  you  justice." 

"You  think  so  ?"  he  said,  with  a  pleased  look.  "  'Twas 
King  William  that  called  me  'honest  Benbow/  and  if  I 
keep  that  name  with  the  country  I  am  content.  I  may 
die  before  we  make  Port  Royal ;  if  I  do,  you  will  take  my 
love  to  Nelly,  my  lad?" 

"I  will  indeed,  sir,  but  I  hope  for  better  things,"  I  said. 
"There  be  good  surgeons  in  Spanish  Town,  who  will  use 
all  of  their  skill  to  preserve  a  life  so  valuable  to  the 
country." 

"We  shall  see,"  he  replied.  "This  plaguy  leg  will 
have  to  come  off;  maybe  I  shall  return  home  with  a 
wooden  leg  and  stump  about  as  port  admiral  somewhere ! 
At  any  rate,  I  hope  I  shall  live  long  enough  to  see  you  a 
captain.  You  have  done  well,  my  lad,  and  there  will  be 


346  HUMPHREY    BOLD 

a  few  vacancies,  I  warrant  you,  when  the  court-martial 
has  done  with  those  villains." 

Before  we  reached  Port  Royal  a  French  boat  overtook 
us  with  a  letter  to  the  admiral  from  Monsieur  du  Casse, 
who,  being  a  brave  man,  felt  for  the  distress  of  his  brave 
foe. 

"Sir"  (he  wrote),  "I  had  little  hope  on  Monday  last 
but  to  have  supped  in  your  cabin,  but  it  pleased  God  to 
order  it  otherwise;  I  am  thankful  for  it.  As  for  those 
cowardly  captains  who  deserted  you,  hang  them  up,  for 
by  God,  they  deserve  it." 

Our  return  to  harbor  was  a  melancholy  affair.  There 
was  universal  rage  against  the  unworthy  captains,  and 
universal  grief  at  the  plight  of  the  admiral.  His  broken 
leg  was  taken  off,  an  operation  which  he  bore  with  won- 
derful fortitude,  and  being  of  a  robust  constitution,  he 
gave  the  surgeons  at  first  good  hopes  of  recovery.  From 
his  sick  bed  he  issued  a  commission  to  Rear-Admiral 
Whetstone  to  hold  a  court-martial  for  the  trial  of  the 
four  captains  whom  he  accused  of  cowardice,  breach  of 
order,  and  neglect  of  duty;  and  of  Captains  Fogg  and 
Vincent  on  the  minor  charge  of  signing  the  paper  against 
engaging  the  French.  The  trial  began  on  the  eighth  of 
October.  Among  the  officers  who  gave  evidence  (much 
against  his  will)  against  Captain  Kirkby  was  Dick 
Cludde,  who  was  carried  wounded  before  the  court. 
Kirkby  and  Captain  Wade  of  the  Greenwich  were  found 
guilty  on  all  the  charges  and  sentenced  to  be  shot.  Cap- 
tain Constable  was  cleared  of  cowardice,  but  convicted 
on  the  other  counts,  and  he  was  cashiered  from  her  Maj- 
esty's service,  with  imprisonment  during  her  pleasure. 
Captain  Hudson  of  the  Pendenms  was  lucky,  as  I  thought, 


THE   SIX   DAYS'   BATTLE  347 

in  dying  before  the  trial  which  must  have  branded  him 
with  indelible  disgrace.  As  for  my  old  friend  Captain 
Vincent,  and  my  new  commander,  Captain  Fogg,  they 
alleged  in  their  defense  that  they  had  signed  the  paper 
only  because  they  feared  if  we  engaged  the  enemy,  that 
the  other  captains  would  wholly  desert  and  leave  the 
Breda  and  the  Falmouth  to  their  fate ;  and  Mr.  Benbow 
himself  testifying  to  their  great  courage  and  gallant  be- 
havior in  the  battle,  the  court  was  satisfied  with  sus- 
pending them  from  their  employment  in  the  queen's  serv- 
ice. The  sentences  were  not  executed  at  once,  it  being 
decided  that  the  officers  (except  Vincent  and  Fogg) 
should  be  carried  to  England  to  await  the  pleasure  of 
the  queen's  consort,  Prince  George  of  Denmark,  who  as 
Lord  High  Admiral  had  the  power  to  ratify  or  quash  the 
decrees  of  the  court-martial. 

I  was  not  myself  present  at  the  trial  of  these  officers. 
On  arriving  in  the  harbor,  the  admiral  was  informed 
that,  taking  advantage  of  his  absence,  a  buccaneer  vessel 
had  appeared  off  the  north  coast,  and  was  doing  much 
damage  among  the  merchant  shipping.  Many  planters 
who  had  suffered  in  their  property  had  sent  requests  to 
the  governor  to  take  immediate  action  against  the  buc- 
caneers, which  he  was  unable  to  do  until  Mr.  Benbow's 
return,  Rear-Admiral  Whetstone  not  thinking  himself 
justified  in  diminishing  his  own  squadron  with  risk  to  the 
general  safety  of  the  island.  But  on  the  day  before  the 
court-martial  was  to  meet  Mr.  Benbow  sent  for  me,  and 
ordered  me  to  cruise  along  the  north  shore  in  search  of 
the  pirate  vessel.  He  did  not  give  me  a  ship  of  war  for 
this  purpose,  thinking  that  this  would  only  serve  to  warn 
the  buccaneers,  who  no  doubt  had  spies  in  the  principal 
ports.  But  the  brig  in  which  we  had  brought  Mistress 
Lucy  being  still  in  the  harbor,  the  admiral  instructed 


348  HUMPHREY   BOLD 

me  to  fit  her  out  as  a  trader,  and  send  her  to  sea  with  a 
dummy  captain  and  a  skeleton  crew,  and  then  to  join  her 
secretly  with  some  thirty  picked  men  from  the  queen's 
ships.  This  mark  of  his  confidence  gave  me  very  great 
pleasure,  and  I  set  about  my  preparations  with  zeal,  be- 
ing busy  with  them  during  the  days  of  the  trial.  Know- 
ing how  strongly  attached  I  was  to  Joe  Punchard,  Mr. 
Benbow  insisted  that  he  should  accompany  me,  declaring 
with  only  too  much  truth  that  he  himself  had  little  need 
of  Punchard's  services  while  he  was  fixed  to  his  bed. 

I  had,  of  course,  paid  a  visit  to  Mistress  Lucy  immedi- 
ately on  reaching  port.  She  took  me  very  severely  to  task 
for  leaving  the  port  without  a  word  of  farewell,  and 
seemed  to  find  it  a  demerit  in  me  that  I  had  returned 
without  a  wound,  praising  Dick  Cludde  very  warmly  for 
the  part  he  had  taken  in  the  fight.  I  answered  with  some 
heat  that  if  I  was  not  wounded  'twas  from  no  shirking 
of  duty,  and  I  would  have  desired  nothing  better  than 
that  we  should  board  one  of  the  French  vessels ;  'twas  no 
pleasure  for  a  man  to  stand  idle  on  deck  while  guns  were 
shot  off.  And  being  now  wrought  to  a  certain  degree  of 
anger,  I  reminded  her  that  I  had  given  proof  that  I  was 
no  coward,  and  hoped  the  queen  would  not  show  herself 
so  ungrateful  to  those  who  served  her  well  as  some  other 
ladies  I  could  name. 

This  outburst  (foreign  to  my  wonted  mildness  of  tem- 
per) brought  a  color  to  her  cheeks  and  a  gleam  to  her 
eyes,  and  in  quite  a  changed  voice  she  said : 

"Indeed,  and  I  am  not  ungrateful,  Mr.  Bold." 

And  then  I  craved  her  pardon  ( for  which,  as  I  learned, 
Mistress  Lucetta  Gurney  called  me  a  fool),  and  inquired 
how  her  own  affairs  were  prospering. 

Mr.  McTavish,  she  told  me,  had  gone  back  to  her  estate 
as  steward,  she  heard  from  him  every  week,  and  he  gave 


THE   SIX  DAYS'   BATTLE  349 

excellent  reports  of  the  plantations.  I  asked  her  whether 
anything  had  been  heard  of  Vetch,  and  whether  any  ves- 
sel conveying  her  produce  from  Dry  Harbor  had  been 
molested  by  the  buccaneers.  She  said  she  had  no  news  of 
either  the  one  or  the  other,  and  I  inclined  to  believe  that 
Vetch  had  accepted  his  defeat  and  vanished  out  of  her  life 
for  ever.  When  I  told  her  of  the  commission  intrusted 
to  me  by  Mr.  Benbow  she  looked  a  little  troubled,  and  be- 
sought me  to  have  a  care  of  myself — a  departure  from  her 
former  indifference  that  surprised  me.  I  could  only  an- 
swer that  I  would  not  court  danger,  and  that  as  for  tak- 
ing care  of  myself  I  must  do  my  duty  and  leave  the  rest 
to  Providence.  Long  afterwards  I  learned  that  she  sent 
privately  for  Joe  Punchard,  and  extorted  from  him  a 
solemn  promise  that  he  would  watch  over  me  day  and 
night,  see  that  I  did  not  take  a  chill  or  expose  myself  to 
danger,  and  bring  me  back  unscathed,  on  pain  of  her  last- 
ing displeasure. 

"I  had  to  promise,"  said  Joe  when  I  taxed  him  with 
it.  "I  couldn't  help  it.  I  would  ha'  sworn  black  was 
white,  the  mistress  have  got  that  way  with  her.  Thinks 
I  to  myself,  'Mr.  Bold  beant  a  baby,  nor  I  beant  a  nurse ; 
but  I'll  commit  black  perjury  to  make  her  happy,'  and  so 
I  would,  sir." 

And  having  taken  my  leave  of  her,  and  of  Mr.  Ben- 
bow,  and  Cludde,  and  other  my  friends,  I  left  the  har- 
bor in  a  boat  at  sunset  on  October  twelfth  and. joined  the 
brig  off  Bull  Bay,  where  she  had  lain  awaiting  me. 


CHAPTER  XXXI 

THE  COCKPIT 

The  brig,  whose  nanfe  was  the  Tartar  (a  very  fitting 
name  for  one  that  had  been  a  privateer)  was  manned 
with  thirty  able  seamen  whom  I  had  myself  been  per- 
mitted to  pick  from  the  man-of-war's  men  in  the  harbor. 
'As  lieutenant  I  had  a  quarter-master  named  Fincham,  a 
very  excellent  officer.  We  sailed  with  a  fair  wind  until 
we  reached  Port  Antonio  on  the  northeast  side  of  the 
island,  but  then  the  wind  fell  contrary,  and  we  had  to 
beat  up  along  the  north  coast  at  a  creeping  pace  that 
vexed  me  sorely.  We  did  not  expect  to  have  any  news 
of  the  buccaneers  until  we  had  fetched  past  Orange  Bay, 
but  from  thence  onwards  I  knew  that  we  should  have  to 
search  every  inlet  save  those  that  had  an  anchorage  for 
large  vessels ;  and  our  slow  progress  was  the  more  vex- 
ing because  I  feared  that  the  buccaneers  might  get  wind 
of  Mr.  Benbow's  return  and  sheer  off.  I  hoped  they 
would  not  do  this,  for  I  was  burning  to  justify  the  ad- 
miral's confidence  in  me  by  bringing  the  pirate  craft  into 
harbor. 

'  One  morning,  when  we  had  been  a  week  at  sea,  we 
sighted  a  wreck  on  a  small  island  off  Blowing  Point; 
the  islet  has  since  totally  disappeared  in  one  of  the  vol- 
canic disturbances  that  afflict  those  latitudes.  We  drew 
in  towards  the  derelict,  and  then  spied  a  man  on  deck 
waving  his  shirt  very  energetically  to  attract  our  no- 

350 


THE   COCKPIT  351 

tice.  I  sent  Fincham  with  a  boat's  crew  to  bring  him 
off,  and  learned  from  him  when  he  came  aboard  that  he 
was  the  sole  survivor  of  the  barque  Susan  Maria,  which 
was  set  upon  a  week  before  by  a  buccaneer  vessel  and 
carried  to  this  islet,  where  she  had  been  plundered  and 
burned,  many  of  her  crew  being  killed,  the  rest  taken 
away  to  be  sold  to  the  Spanish  planters  in  Hispaniola.  The 
man  had  been  left  for  dead  on  the  deck,  but  he  had  come 
out  of  his  swoon,  and  had  since  supported  himself  on 
some  moldy  cheese  and  biscuits  which  the  buccaneers 
had  not  deemed  worth  taking  when  they  stripped  the 
vessel. 

He  told  me  that  the  buccaneer  vessel  was  a  light  brig 
carrying  six  guns  and  a  crew  of  at  least  sixty  men  of  all 
nations,  her  captain  being  a  Frenchman.  She  had  sailed 
away  to  the  westward.  I  had  little  doubt  that  this  was 
the  very  vessel  I  had  been  sent  in  search  of,  and  though 
she  was  stronger  than  I  supposed,  I  was  hot  set  to  find  her 
and  see  for  myself  whether  we  might  not  attempt  to  put 
a  stop  to  her  mischievous  career. 

We  lay  becalmed  for  the  rest  of  that  day,  but  a  light 
easterly  breeze  springing  up  towards  morning,  we  clapped 
on  all  sail  and  worked  steadily  along  the  coast.  I  exam- 
ined the  chart  very  carefully  for  likely  anchorages,  and 
used  my  perspective  glass  constantly ;  but  we  saw  no  sign 
of  the  pirate,  nor  indeed  of  any  vessel,  all  that  day. 

Towards  dusk  we  approached  the  entrance  of  the  cove 
whence  I  had  sailed  the  brig  of  which  I  was  now  in 
command.  We  heaved  to  behind  a  headland  about  two 
miles  to  the  east  of  it,  out  of  view  of  any  vessel  which 
might  be  in  the  cove  or  at  the  mouth,  and  waited  for 
darkness.  I  had  no  reason  to  suppose  that  the  pirate 
lay  within  the  cove,  though  'twas  likely  enough;  but  it 
behooved  us  to  go  as  cautiously  as  if  we  knew  she  was 


352  HUMPHREY   BOLD 

there  for  certain.  Considering  her  strength,  if  it  should 
come  to  a  fight,  'twas  clearly  good  tactics  to  choose  my 
own  time  and  manner  of  attacking  her. 

About  the  end  of  the  second  dog-watch  I  lowered  a 
boat,  and  with  Joe  Punchard  and  half  a  dozen  picked  men, 
together  with  the  sailor  we  had  rescued,  set  off  with  muf- 
fled oars  up  the  cove  to  reconnoiter,  leaving  Fincham 
in  charge  of  the  brig.  The  moon  was  rising,  but  there 
was  a  deep  shadow  beneath  the  cliffs,  and  by  keeping  well 
within  this  I  trusted  to  escape  observation.  The  cove 
was  about  two  miles  long,  and  after  rowing  half  the  dis- 
tance I  caught  sight  of  a  dark  shape  before  me,  as  nearly 
as  I  could  judge,  almost  at  the  same  spot  as  my  brig 
when  I  cut  her  cable.  We  drew  a  little  closer,  till  we 
could  see  every  spar  clear  in  the  moonlight,  and  the  man 
of  the  Susan  Maria  told  me  that  the  vessel  was  beyond 
doubt  the  pirate  of  which  we  were  in  search.  We  lay  on 
our  oars  for  a  while  watching  her,  and  listening  for 
sounds  from  her  deck,  but  hearing  nothing,  and  judging 
that  her  captain  would  feel  perfectly  secure,  I  thought 
that  all  things  favored  an  attempt  to  cut  her  out  that 
night. 

We  pulled  back  to  the  brig  and  immediately  prepared 
two  boats  for  the  expedition.  I  selected  twenty-four  men 
for  the  job,  leaving  ten  to  guard  the  brig.  'Twas  a 
question  whether  Fincham  or  Punchard  should  be  placed 
in  charge  of  the  second  boat,  but  Joe  pleaded  so  hard  to 
have  a  hand  in  the  venture  (animated  as  much  by  his 
love  of  action  as  by  his  promise  to  Mistress  Lucy,  of 
which  I  as  yet  knew  nothing)  that  I  decided  to  leave 
Fincham  in  command  of  the  vessel.  If  the  buccaneers 
numbered  sixty,  as  I  had  been  told,  we  had  heavy  odds 
against  us;  but  with  the  advantage  of  surprise  I  hoped 
that  our  twenty-four  picked  men  would  prove  equal  to 


THE   COCKPIT  353 

more  than  twice  their  number  of  a  mixed  lot  who  had 
nothing  but  their  common  crimes  to  bind  them  together. 

'Twas  about  four  in  the  morning,  under  a  waning 
moon,  when  we  again  came  within  sight  of  the  enemy's 
vessel.  We  rowed  dead  slow  in  order  to  avoid  noise,  and 
had  come  within  half  a  cable's  length  of  her,  and  I  was 
on  the  point  of  ordering  my  men  to  give  way  for  a  dash, 
when  I  was  surprised  to  hear  voices  from  the  deck,  and 
the  creaking  of  davit  blocks.  'Twas  clear  the  buccaneers 
were  letting  down  a  boat.  I  whispered  my  men  to  ship 
oars,  and  waited  with  no  little  anxiety.  Had  our  ap- 
proach been  discovered?  I  could  not  think  so,  for  the 
most  confident  enemy  would  scarcely  throw  away  their 
advantage  of  position  by  seeking  us  out  under  the  shadow 
of  the  cliffs  when  they  might  securely  await  our  attack 
and  surprise  us  in  turn.  Then  what  could  they  be  about  ? 
I  could  just  see  the  boat  as  it  was  lowered  over  the  side, 
and  then  immediately  afterwards  a  second  boat  followed, 
and  men  crowded  into  both  and  pulled  away  for  the 
shore.  They  came  full  into  the  moon's  rays,  I  saw  them 
land,  cross  the  beach,  and  disappear. 

My  first  thought  was  that  the  vessel  was  delivered  into 
our  hands.  I  reckoned  that  the  boats  had  carried  close 
on  forty  men;  those  who  were  left  would  be  no  match 
for  my  tars;  it  seemed  that  my  task  was  made  miracu- 
lously easy.  But  then,  reflecting  that  the  buccaneers 
must  have  some  errand  on  shore,  it  flashed  upon  me  that 
their  destination  was  Penolver,  and  their  object  to  plunder 
the  house  and  estate.  There  could  be  no  other  explana- 
tion of  their  quitting  their  vessel  at  this  dead  time  of 
night.  And  here  I  felt  a  conflict  between  duty  and  in- 
clination. The  latter  prompted  me  to  make  off  at  once 
after  the  landing  party  and  do  what  might  be  done  to 
save  Lucy's  property.  But  my  orders  were  to  deal  with 


354  HUMPHREY.  BOLD 

the  buccaneers,  and  I  felt  that  I  should  not  be  justified  in 
interfering  on  behalf  of  a  private  person,  however  dear 
to  me,  until  my  first  duty  was  fulfilled.  . 

It  was  a  question  then  whether  I  should  first  attack  the 
ship  or  capture  the  boats  on  the  strand.  To  accomplish 
the  latter  we  should  have  to  overpower  the  men  who 
had  no  doubt  been  left  in  charge,  and  there  would  cer- 
tainly be  some  noise  that  would  alarm  the  men  on  board 
the  vessel,  so  that  although  the  possession  of  the  boats 
would  cut  off  the  return  of  those  who  had  landed,  it 
would  also  make  the  capture  of  the  brig  far  more  diffi- 
cult. On  all  grounds  it  seemed  better  to  wait  until  the 
landing  party  had  gone  too  far  to  return  in  time  to  help 
their  comrades,  and  then  cut  out  the  ship.  When  that 
was  in  our  hands  I  should  be  free  to  go  ashore  and  set 
off  in  pursuit  of  the  ruffians  who,  I  was  convinced,  were 
marching  for  Lucy's  house.  Ordering  my  men  to  put 
me  alongside  Punchard's  boat,  I  arranged  with  him  the 
manner  of  our  attack.  I  would  make  for  the  larboard, 
he  for  the  starboard  side,  and  we  would  board  as  nearly 
as  possible  at  the  same  moment.  This  being  settled  I 
whispered  the  word  to  go,  and  the  two  boats  crept  along 
the  shore  in  shadow  as  silently  as  we  could  until  we  came 
directly  opposite  the  enemy's  vessel.  Then  I,  having  the 
tiller  of  the  leading  boat,  brought  her  round  and  steered 
her  straight  for  the  ship.  'Twas  scarce  to  be  hoped,  in 
spit  of  our  muffled  oars,  that  our  approach  should  be 
wholly  unheard ;  and  we  were  no  more  than  ten  fathoms 
distant  when  the  alarm  was  given.  There  was  not  suf- 
ficient way  on  the  boat,  the  tide  being  between  flood  and 
ebb,  to  bring  us  quite  to  the  vessel,  but  after  a  few  more 
strokes  I  ordered  the  men  to  ship  oars  and  seize  their 
arms,  and  we  came  under  the  brig's  counter  just  in  time 
to  escape  a  volley  from  the  deck. 


THE  COCKPIT  355 

We  swarmed  up,  half  a  dozen  of  us  together,  the  men 
shouting  and  cursing  as  Jack  tars  will,  and  met  with  a 
very  warm  reception.  The  enemy  was  assembled  in  full 
force  to  beat  us  back,  the  watch  below  having  had  time 
to  tumble  up,  though  to  be  sure  they  were  half  dazed  with 
sleep,  and  maybe  drink.  If  they  had  been  wide-awake  I 
will  not  answer  for  it  that  we  should  not  have  been  re- 
pulsed ;  even  as  it  was,  several  of  my  crew  were  driven 
headlong  back  into  the  boat  and  the  sea.  But  the  rest 
gained  a  footing  on  deck,  and  I  warrant  you  they  kept 
it.  We  were  at  too  close  quarters  to  fire;  'twas  a  brief 
hand-to-hand  encounter  with  cutlasses  and  clubbed  mus- 
kets, and  what  with  the  clashing  of  the  weapons  and  the 
cries  of  the  men  we  made  a  great  din  and  hurly-burly. 
But  the  enemy  had  lost  their  sole  chance  of  success  when 
they  failed  to  dislodge  us  before  Joe's  men  arrived. 
'Twas  but  a  minute  before  his  boat  came  round  the  bows 
to  the  starboard  side,  and  then  the  crew  swarmed  up, 
with  Joe  at  their  head,  and  fell  upon  the  rear  of  our  as- 
sailants. Thus  hemmed  in  between  our  two  parties  the 
buccaneers  saw  'twas  vain  to  contend  longer.  They  flung 
down  their  arms  and  cried  (in  many  tongues)  for  quar- 
ter; and  within  five  minutes  of  our  first  setting  foot  on 
deck  we  had  them  securely  battened  down  below. 

And  now  having  accomplished,  by  fortune's  favor, 
my  first  duty,  I  resolved  to  make  all  speed  after  the  fel- 
lows who  had  landed,  hoping  fervently  that  the  noise  of 
our  engagement  had  not  reached  their  ears  and  put  them 
on  their  guard.  There  was  hot  work  before  us,  I  well 
knew,  if  they  numbered  forty,  as  I  had  reason  to  be- 
lieve. I  could  not  leave  the  brig  wholly  unguarded ;  yet 
I  was  loath  to  diminish  my  own  little  company ;  in  the  end 
I  decided  to  leave  a  boatswain's  mate  in  command  of  a 
party  of  five  (three  who  had  had  a  ducking  and  two  who 


356  HUMPHREY   BOLQ 

had  received  slight  hurts  in  the  fight)  and  to  take  Joe 
and  the  other  eighteen  hot-foot  to  Penolver.  I  had  left 
instructions  with  Fincham  on  our  brig  to  sail  into  the 
inlet  in  the  morning  to  support  us,  and  I  told  the  boat- 
swain's mate  to  communicate  with  her  as  soon  as  she 
appeared.  Thus  I  had  no  anxiety  about  the  security  of 
jthe  prize  and  the  prisoners  during  my  absence. 

These  arrangements  made,  we  set  off  for  the  shore, 
taking  two  of  the  six  men  to  row  back  to  the  brig  the 
boats  from  which  the  buccaneers  had  landed,  which  we 
found  hauled  up  on  the  beach,  but  no  one  in  charge  of 
them.  .  Either  they  had  been  left  unattended  because  the 
leader  had  no  fears  for  their  safety,  or  the  men  set  to 
watch  had  taken  alarm  from  our  doings  on  the  brig  and 
had  decamped.  I  hoped  they  had  not  gone  ahead  of  us 
to  warn  their  fellows,  which  indeed  did  not  seem  very 
likely,  for  they  would  be  loath  to  venture  alone  into  a 
strange  country.  If  the  buccaneers  had  had  warning  of 
what  was  happening  behind  them  and  hastened  back,  or 
if  we  should  miss  them  and  they  returned  to  the  cove 
before  us,  they  would  at  any  rate  be  unable  to  recapture 
their  vessel,  lacking  their  boats. 

I  reckoned  that  'twas  near  two  hours  since  the  main 
body  of  the  buccaneers  had  departed ;  by  this  time  they 
must  be  three  parts  of  the  way  to  the  house,  if  that  was 
their  goal;  so  we  set  off  at  a  great  pace  to  follow  them 
up.  The  sun  was  not  yet  risen,  though  the  darkness  was 
lifting;  and  the  air  being  cool,  we  could  march  without 
discomfort. 

We  had  not  gone  very  far,  and  had  come  to  where  the 
track  runs  between  thin  clumps  of  trees,  when  Joe  Punch- 
ard  suddenly  left  my  side  and  darted  into  the  woodland, 
his  bandiness  was  no  check  upon  his  running.  In  a  few 
seconds  he  was  back,  shoving  before  him  a  seaman  much 


THE  COCKPIT  357 

larger  than  himself,  having  one  fiand  upon  his  neck  and 
the  other  grasping  his  arm  behind  his  back.  He  thus 
propelled  the  man  towards  us  at  a  quick  trot,  crying  out 
to  me: 

"Here  be  one  of  the  villains,  sir,  and  I  reckon  'twill  be 
well  to  make  him  speak." 

Without  slackening  our  pace  I  made  the  captive  walk 
by  my  side  and  questioned  him.  He  had  been  left,  as  I 
suspected,  in  charge  of  the  boats,  alone,  and  at  the  noise 
of  our  assault  he  had  run  up  the  path,  intending  to  over- 
take his  comrades  and  give  them  warning  of  what  was 
happening.  But  being  out  of  his  element,  his  heart  failed 
him  when  he  came  into  the  wild  wooded  country,  and  he 
had  been  skulking  behind  the  trees  when  Joe  espied  him. 
He  was  a  Frenchman.  I  learned  from  him  that  some  weeks 
before,  his  vessel  had  been  joined  by  an  Englishman,  who 
had  proposed  to  his  captain  an  expedition  to  an  estate 
some  ten  miles  inland.  The  captain  had  been  at  first  re- 
luctant to  undertake  the  expedition ;  'twas  work  for  lands- 
men, he  said,  not  for  sea-dogs,  and  having  heard  rumors 
of  a  buccaneer  brig  having  been  captured  in  that  very 
cove  by  a  horde  of  negroes  led  by  a  white  man,  he  was 
loath  to  leave  his  vessel.  But  the  Englishman  had  worked 
upon  his  fellow  countrymen  among  the  buccaneers  by 
tales  of  large  sums  of  money  lying  in  the  house  in  ques- 
tion ;  he  had  been  steward  of  the  estate,  he  said,  and  had 
been  forced  to  leave  behind  the  hoard  he  had  gathered, 
on  being  attacked  by  a  villainous  enemy  that  coveted  his 
wealth.  But  it  was  too  securely  hidden  to  have  been  dis- 
covered by  the  interloper.  These  compatriots  of  his  had 
insisted  on  the  captain  holding  a  council  of  the  whole 
crew,  at  which  the  proposal  was  put  to  the  vote  and  car- 
ried; and  the  captain's  last  objections  were  overcome  by 
the  promise  of  a  quarter  of  the  hidden  money,  the  Eng- 


358  HUMPHREY   BOLD 

lishman  to  have  a  quarter,  and  the  remainder  to  be  di- 
vided among  the  crew. 

My  suspicion  being  so  fully  borne  out,  I  forced  the 
pace,  for  though  I  foresaw  a  tough  fight,  my  men  were 
all  sturdy  fellows,  who  were  not  like  to  feel  any  distress 
after  a  march  of  but  ten  miles.  I  only  half  believed  the 
story  of  hidden  gold.  The  produce  of  the  estate  would 
generally,  I  thought,  be  paid  for,  not  in  specie,  but  in  bills 
of  exchange,  which  would  be  in  the  hands  of  duly  ap- 
pointed agents  at  the  port.  It  seemed  more  likely  that 
Vetch  had  some  other  motive :  what,  I  could  not  guess. 
But  whatever  his  design  might  be,  I  counted  myself  very 
lucky  in  having  come  to  the  neighborhood  in  time  to 
frustrate  it. 

When  we  came  within  a  mile  of  the  estate  we  saw  a 
dense  cloud  of  smoke  rising  into  the  air  at  the  spot  where, 
as  I  judged,  the  house  stood.  This  seemed  to  confirm,  my 
suspicion ;  Vetch  was  indulging  his  venomous  spite  by 
burning  the  residence  of  Mistress  Lucy.  We  sprang  for- 
ward at  the  double,  and  coming  in  sight  of  the  house,  I 
saw  with  relief  that  it  was  yet  intact,  the  smoke  arising 
from  the  outbuildings,  which  were  already  almost  burned 
to  the  ground.  Then  we  heard  musket  shots,  and  as  we 
drew  nearer  loud  shouts.  The  plantations  were  utterly 
deserted,  there  was  not  a  negro  visible  of  whom  we  might 
ask  what  was  toward;  so  we  skirmished  forward  to  a 
place  among  the  trees  where  the  front  of  the  house  was 
in  full  view. 

The  veranda  was  packed  with  men,  and  around  them 
smoke  was  swirling,  but  the  smoke  of  musketry,  not  of 
a  conflagration.  Some  were  firing  at  the  shuttered  win- 
dows, others  hacking  with  axes  at  the  doors  and  walls. 
'Twas  clear  that  the  attack  Had  only  just  begun,  for  the 
light  timbers  of  the  House  could  not  long  have  withstood 


THE   COCKPIT  359 

the  tremendous  battering  they  were  now  receiving.  It 
amazed  me  that  the  assailants  had  met  with  any  resist- 
ance at  all ;  McTavish  and  his  overseers  must  be  men  of 
mettle  to  attempt  to  hold  the  house  against  such  odds. 
Even  in  the  few  seconds  I  allowed  myself  to  observe  them 
I  saw  two  or  three  of  the  buccaneers  fall,  shot,  I  had  no 
doubt,  by  the  defenders  within.  But  mingled  with  the 
yells  of  rage  there  now  arose  a  cry  of  triumph;  a  panel 
of  one  of  the  doors  had  given  way  under  the  fierce  strokes 
of  an  ax  wielded  by  a  man  whom  I  knew  by  some  in- 
stinct to  be  the  captain.  'Twas  manifest  that  we  had 
come  but  just  in  time. 

Calling  to  my  men  to  follow  me  closely,  I  led  them  at 
the  double  straight  across  the  open  grassy  space  that  sepa- 
rated us  from  the  house.  The  buccaneers  were  so  intent 
upon  their  work,  and  the  noise  was  so  deafening,  that 
they  were  not  aware  of  us  until  we  came  within  a  few 
yards  of  the  veranda.  Then  a  great  shout  of  warning 
was  raised  by  those  of  the  men  who,  having  been  wound- 
ed, had  fallen  out  of  the  fight.  Some  of  the  storming 
party  swung  round,  caught  sight  of  us,  and  rushed  to  the 
head  of  the  steps  leading  to  the  veranda  as  we  reached 
the  foot.  Luckily  for  us  they  had  discharged  their  mus- 
kets, whereas  my  men  had  theirs  loaded,  and  had  lit  their 
matches  during  the  few  moments  we  had  waited  at  the 
edge  of  the  copse.  Knowing  ourselves  outnumbered  by 
at  least  two  to  one,  I  cried  to  my  men  to  halt  and  fire. 
Several  of  the  foremost  of  the  buccaneers  fell,  but  those 
behind  had  not  been  hit,  and  when  I  gave  the  order  to 
rush  up  the  steps  they  stood  in  close  array  with  clubbed 
muskets  to  meet  us. 

The  next  few  moments  were  filled  with  such  a  wild 
commotion  that  'twould  be  vain  to  try  to  describe  all 
that  happened.  Joe  Punchard,  seeing  that  it  was  impos- 


360  HUMPHREY   BOLD 

sible  for  all  of  us  to  mount  by  the  steps,  had  with  great 
readiness  of  wit  called  off  half  a  dozen  men,  and  they 
were  now  scrambling  up  the  pillars  supporting  the  ver- 
anda. Finding  my  ascent  blocked  by  the  crowd,  I  slipped 
over  the  balustrade,  and,  taking  advantage  of  my  great 
height,  leapt  at  the  rail  of  the  veranda  and  began  to  haul 
myself  up.  At  that  desperate  moment  I  saw  one  of  the 
buccaneers  with  his  musket  uplifted,  preparing  to  bring 
it  down  with  crushing  force  upon  me,  and  caught  sight 
of  Vetch  behind  him  sword  in  hand.  I  thought  my  end 
was  come,  for  I  had  not  yet  secured  my  footing,  and  was 
powerless  to  protect  myself.  But  suddenly  there  was  a 
deafening  report  from  the  room  beyond;  the  buccaneer 
pitched  forward  on  to  the  rail,  his  musket  falling  from 
his  hand.  My  life  was  saved  by  the  man's  body  lurching 
against  me,  for  being  between  Vetch  and  me,  he  prevented 
my  old  enemy  from  using  his  sword  arm.  With  a  des- 
perate heave  I  threw  the  buccaneer  against  Vetch,  and  in 
a  trice  was  over  the  rail  and  on  the  veranda.  Vetch's  face 
was  fixed  with  terror,  as,  drawing  my  sword,  I  rushed  at 
him.  There  was  no  escape  for  him  now ;  his  slipperiness 
could  not  serve  him;  and  I  .Hll  do  him  this  justice,  that, 
finding  himself  driven  into  a  corner,  he  stood  against  me 
and  fought  with  a  courage  of  frenzy.  But  he  was  no 
swordsman ;  with  a  few  simple  passes  I  disarmed  him,  and 
flinging  his  sword  over  the  rail  I  caught  him  by  the  neck 
and  arm  and  held  him  fast. 

Meanwhile  the  resistance  of  fiis  hirelings  had  been 
broken.  My  sturdy  men  had  forced  their  way  up  the 
steps  or  climbed  up  the  pillars,  not  without  loss,  and  the 
defenders  in  the  room  behind  firing  a  succession  of  shots, 
the  buccaneers  had  scattered  to  right  and  left  to  escape 
being  taken  in  front  and  rear  at  once.  Their  ranks  be- 
ing thus  weakened  my  men  pressed  upon  them  with  re- 


Vetch's  face  was  fixed  with  terror.      Pa«-e  360 


THE   COCKPIT  361 

doubled  veKemence.  I  caught  sight  of  Joe  Punchard  in 
the  melee,  his  red  head  a  flaming  battle  signal,  wield- 
ing an  iron  belaying  pin,  every  swing  of  it  leaving  the 
enemy  one  man  the  less.  The  buccaneer  captain,  with 
the  furious  courage  for  which  the  West  Indian  freebooters 
have  ever  been  notable,  threw  himself  wherever  the  fight 
was  thickest,  striving  to  stay  the  rout,  with  cutlass  in 
one  hand  and  pistol  in  the  other.  He  hurled  his  pistol 
at  Joe,  but  he  saw  the  movement  and  nimbly  ducked,  to 
the  discomfiture  of  the  man  behind  him,  who  received  the 
weapon  full  in  his  chest  (Joe  being  short)  and  staggered 
back  in  a  heap  against  the  rail.  Joe  was  erect  again  in 
time  to  catch  the  captain's  cutlass  on  his  belaying  pin, 
which  it  struck  with  such  force  as  to  be  shivered  to 
splinters.  Ere  the  captain  had  time  to  spring  back,  a 
half-swing  from  Joe's  formidable  weapon  caught  him  on 
the  neck,  and  he  fell  like  a  bullock  under  the  pole-ax. 
This  was  the  signal  for  a  general  stampede.  With  their 
leader  gone  the  buccaneers  could  not  rally,  and  every  man 
sought  how  best  to  save  his  skin.  Some  tumbled  down 
the  steps,  others  swung  themselves  over  the  rail  and 
dropped  to  the  ground,  and  as  they  rushed  this  way  and 
that  to  find  safety,  they  were  pursued  not  merely  by  my 
men,  but  by  crowds  of  yelling  negroes,  who  had  emerged 
from  their  concealment  with  wondrous  rapidity  when 
they  saw  the  tide  of  battle  turn  against  the  buccaneers, 
and  were  now  ready  enough  to  join  in  the  shouting. 

The  veranda  being  clear  of  the  enemy,  the  half-battered 
door  was  thrown  open,  and  to  my  amazement  Dick  Cludde 
came  towards  me  with  Mr.  McTavish,  three  overseers, 
Uncle  Moses,  and  Noah,  all  with  smoking  muskets  in 
their  hands.  A  bare  word  of  greeting  passed  between  us, 
for  Noah,  seeing  Vetch  helpless  in  my  grasp,  sprang  for- 
ward with  a  shout  of  savage  joy  and  but  for  my  inter- 


362  HUMPHREY   BOLD 

vention  would  have  plunged  his  knife  into  the  wretched 
man.  Fending  him  off,  I  pushed  Vetch  into  the  room, 
and  shut  the  door,  keeping  out  all  but  McTavish  and 
Cludde. 

Vetch  was  pale  and  discomposed,  his  lips  twitching, 
his  eyes  ranging  restlessly  between  Cludde  and  me.  I 
felt  no  pity  for  him. 

"This  man,"  I  said  to  McTavish,  "led  his  ruffians  here 
under  promise  of  a  share  in  a  large  sum  of  money  they 
would  find.  Is  there  any  truth  in  it?" 

"There  is  no  that  much  money  here  at  this  present 
time,"  replied  McTavish,  "but  when  I  came  back  to  the 
estate  a  while  ago  and  looked  into  matters,  I  couldna 
just  make  out  where  two  thousand  pounds  had  gone. 
'Twas  in  specie,  too,  for  I  happened  to  know  that  the  coin 
had  been  sent  up  from  Spanish  Town — a  verra  large  sum 
to  keep  in  an  up-country  house." 

"Where  is  that  money?"  I  asked,  turning  to  Vetch. 
He  was  more  composed  now,  and  his  wonted  look  of 
alertness  had  returned. 

"Let  me  understand,"  says  Vetch.  "You  accuse  me 
of—" 

"Of  appropriating  money  that  did  not  belong  to  you," 
I  said,  filling  up  his  pause. 

"A  serious  accusation,"  he  said,  drawing  his  brows  to- 
gether. "And  when  did  this  appropriation  take  place  ?" 

"We  are  not  playing  a  game,"  I  said  impatiently. 
"Where  is  the  money  which  you  stole,  and  which  you 
used  as  a  lure  for  your  ruffians  ?" 

"We  are  not  playing  a  game,  as  you  say,"  he  replied, 
becoming  more  and  more  collected  as  I  waxed  hotter. 
"You  accuse  me  of  stealing,  I  answer,  when  did  I  steal, 
and  what  are  your  proofs  ?" 

"You  heard  what  Mr.  McTavish  said,"  I  replied,  with 


THE  COCKPIT  363 

difficulty  curbing  my  anger.  "Two  tfiousand  pounds  are 
not  accounted  for;  you  were  here  when  the  money  was 
received;  it  disappeared  during  the  time  you  held  Mr. 
McTavish's  place;  you  bring  your  desperadoes  here  to 
secure  it.  'Tis  useless  fencing  with  us." 

"During  the  time  I  held  Mr.  McTavish's  place,"  he  re- 
peated musingly.  "That  was  for  several  months  last 
year,  until  the  day  when  the  owner  of  this  property  came 
of  age — the  day  when  Mr.  Humphrey  Bold  by  trickery 
gained  access  to  this  house  and  threatened  my  life.  Has 
it  gone  from  your  recollection  that  I  held  Mr.  McTav- 
ish's place  in  right  of  a  power  of  attorney  from  the  legal 
guardian  of  the  estate,  and  that  whatever  I  may  have 
done  I  was  empowered  to  do?  Does  it  not  occur  to  you 
that  the  money  you  charge  me  with  stealing  was  appro- 
priated to  the  payment  of  the  men  whom  I  felt  impelled 
to  engage  for  the  defense  of  this  property  against  the  un- 
lawful designs  of  Mr.  Humphrey  Bold?  You  will  bear 
me  out,  Mr.  Cludde,  when  I  remind  you  that  the  owner 
of  the  estate  had  fled  from  her  lawfully  appointed  guard- 
ian, aided  and  abetted  in  her  flight,  I  doubt  not,  by  this 
upstart  himself.  I  am  ready  to  account  for  my  adminis- 
tration of  the  property  to  Sir  Richard  Cludde,  and  to 
no  one  else,  and  I  say  you  have  no  right  to  call  in  ques- 
tion anything  I  may  have  done  in  his  name."  l 

The  fellow's  impudence  fairly  took  my  breath  away. 
For  some  moments  I  could  do  nothing  but  look  at  him, 
and  he  returned  my  gaze  without  blinking,  the  old  sneer 
playing  about  his  lips.  The  brazen  coolness  with  which 
he  ignored  his  recent  attack  on  the  house  and  sought  to 
put  me  in  the  wrong  filled  me  with  sheer  amazement.  I 
began  to  wonder  again  whether,  after  all,  the  tale  he  had 
told  to  the  buccaneers  was  a  lie,  and  he  had  come  back  to 
the  house  with  no  further  design  than  to  wreak  his  spite 


364  HUMPHREY    BOLD 

upon  it.  And  yet  this  could  hardly  be,  for  he  could  easily 
have  set  fire  to  it,  and  then  the  question  flashed  upon  my 
mind  suddenly,  why  had  he  pressed  home  the  attack  on 
this  particular  room,  when  all  the  rest  of  the  house  lay 
open  to  him?  Did  not  that  point  to  the  probability  that 
the  money  he  had  spoken  of  was  actually  here,  in  this 
room? 

Twas  vain  to  bandy  more  words  with  the  fellow.  I 
called  in  Joe  Punchard  and  one  of  my  seamen,  and  bade 
them  take  him  to  the  kitchen  and  tie  him  up.  He  flushed 
and  bit  his  lip  when  I  gave  this  order,  but  he  saw  'twas 
folly  to  resist.  When  he  had  gone  I  told  the  others  what 
I  had  been  thinking,  and  suggested  that  we  should  search 
the  room.  A  bureau  stood  against  the  wall ;  this  was  the 
only  article  of  furniture  in  which  money  could  be  secured, 
and  Mr.  McTavish,  who  used  it  constantly,  assured  me 
that  there  was  but  a  small  sum  in  one  of  its  drawers, 
which  he  had  himself  placed  there.  We  looked  around 
in  perplexity.  The  walls  were  of  wood,  not  of  lath  and 
plaster,  so  that  there  were  no  nooks  and  crannies  in 
which  he  could  have  bestowed  his  hoard.  The  floor  also 
was  of  single  planking,  forming  the  roof  of  the  room  be- 
low. There  seemed  no  possible  place  of  concealment 
here.  Could  there  be  any  spot  on  the  veranda  that  might 
have  served  his  purpose? 

I  went  out ;  the  veranda  was  empty,  the  men  who  had 
been  injured  (and  some  who  were  dead)  having  been  re- 
moved. If  my  reasoning  was  correct,  the  hiding-place 
must  be  on  the  inner  side,  otherwise  the  assailants  could 
have  obtained  what  they  came  to  seek  without  attacking 
the  room.  We  looked  carefully  along  the  base  of  the 
wall  where  it  met  the  floor  of  the  veranda  at  first  in  vain. 
But  just  as  I  was  almost  prepared  to  give  up  the  search 
and  try  elsewhere  I  noticed  that  at  one  spot  the  nails  of 


THE   COCKPIT  365 

the  flooring  seemed  newer  than  at  other  parts.  Calling 
to  Cludde,  with  his  assistance  I  prized  up  one  of  the 
boards,  and  the  secret  was  instantly  revealed.  The  board 
rested  on  one  of  the  broad  wooden  pillars  supporting  the 
veranda.  A  hole  had  been  cut  down  the  center  of  the 
pillar,  and  there  lay  the  missing  money — doubloons  and 
silver  dollars. 

Leaving  McTavish  to  gather  them  up  and  count  them, 
Cludde  and  I  went  down  to  the  kitchen.  Vetch  was  tied 
to  a  chair  (as  Joe  had  been  tied  months  before),  and  Joe 
was  sitting  over  against  him,  with  a  cutlass  on  his  knees. 
I  told  Vetch  briefly  that  the  money  was  found.  Even  now 
his  bravado  did  not  desert  him.  He  repeated  we  had  no 
right  to  call  in  question  any  action  of  his  and  that  none 
but  Sir  Richard  could  claim  an  account  of  his  steward- 
ship. I  did  not  reply,  as  I  might  have  done,  that  the 
.money,  being  found  in  the  house  after  Mistress  Lucy  had 
come  of  age,  was  patently  hers,  and  in  attempting  to  re- 
cover it  he  was  no  better  than  a  common  housebreaker. 
I  bade  Punchard  collect  our  men  in  readiness  to  march 
back  to  the  brig,  and  strictly  charged  him  that  he  should 
have  every  care  of  Vetch  on  the  way.  Then  I  saw  a 
shadow  of  fear  cross  the  villain's  face.  He  knew  that  to 
brazen  it  out  longer  would  avail  him  nothing,  and  'twas 
his  inward  vision  of  the  hangman,  I  doubt  not,  that 
caused  him  to  go  white  to  the  lips. 

Cludde  went  from  the  room  to  gather  his  few  posses- 
sions in  preparation  for  our  despatch.  Vetch  struggled 
with  himself  for  a  moment,  then  said  huskily : 

"Bold,  you  must  let  me  go.  I  will  make  it  worth  your 
while.  Your  father's  will — is  not  destroyed ;  let  me  go — 
and  I  will  tell  you  where  it  is." 

"I  will  make  no  terms  with  you,"  I  said. 

"But  what  do  you  gain  by  refusing?"  he  cried.    "You 


366  HUMPHREY.   BOLD! 

are  only  a  lieutenant;  promotion  is  slow;  money  would 
help  you  on.  You  have  your  revenge  on  me — and  lose 
your  property,  for  I  vow  I  will  tell  you  nothing  unless 
you  let  me  go." 

"I  would  not  let  you  go  for  a  king's  ransom,"  I  said. 
"The  wrongs  you  have  done  me  are  nothing ;  but  for  your 
villainy  I  should  not  be  a  king's  officer  to-day.  I  could 
almost  forgive  you.  But  nothing  in  the  world  could  per- 
suade me  to  forget  the  wrongs  you  have  done  to  a  help- 
less woman — the  indignities  you  put  upon  her,  the  vil- 
lainous designs  you  harbored  against  her.  No,  you  have 
done  your  rascally  work — you  shall  take  your  wages." 

He  said  no  more  then,  but  presently,  when  Cludde  re- 
turned he  made  an  appeal  to  him. 

"Dick,"  he  said,  "you  and  I  are  bound  by  long  friend- 
ship—" 

"WhicH  you  have  killed,"  said  Cludde,  interrupting 
him. 

"But  you  will  not  forget  all  the  past — our  school-days, 
the  merry  times  we  had  then  and  after,  all  I  have  done 
with  you,  and  for  you.  For  a  dozen  years  we  were  as  close 
as  brothers ;  you  won't  turn  against  me  now  ?" 

"I  know,  but — Lucy — 'twas  unpardonable,"  Qudde 
stammered  in  great  discomfort.  "I'm  not  spotless — done 
things  I  am  ashamed  of — but  you  carried  things  too  far 
— you  wanted  to  force  her  to  marry  you — " 

"And  do  you  think  she  will  marry  you  now,  you  fool  ?" 
cried  Vetch,  with  a  flash  of  his  old  fiery  temper. 

"I  could  wish  her  to  wed  a  better  man,"  says  poor 
Cludde. 

"Even  so  good  as  Mr.  Humphrey  Bold,"  says  Vetch 
with  a  sneer. 

Cludde  looked  at  me.    If  he  intended  to  say  anything 


THE  COCKPIT  367 

'twas  prevented  by  the  entrance  of  Joe  Punchard  with 
news  that  all  was  ready. 

"Bring  him  along,"  I  said,  glancing  towards  Vetch. 

Joe  unstrapped  his  legs,  leaving  his  arms  still  bound, 
and  they  followed  us  from  the  room. 

We  set  off  on  our  seaward  march,  having  just  time  to 
regain  the  brig  before  the  day  became  oppressive.  We 
took  with  us,  as  prisoners,  such  of  the  buccaneers  as  had 
been  caught;  what  became  of  the  rest  I  never  knew. 
Vetch  marched  with  them,  amid  a  guard  of  our  men. 
On  the  way  I  learned  from  Cludde  how  it  happened  that 
he  was  at  the  house  at  a  time  when,  but  for  him,  the  buc- 
caneers' attack  might  have  been  successful  before  I  came 
on  the  scene.  Being  convalescent  from  his  wound,  and 
learning  that  Mistress  Lucy  wished  to  consult  Mr.  Mc- 
Tavish  about  selling  the  estate  (for  she  had  determined 
to  carry  through  the  negotiations  begun  by  Vetch),  he 
had  offered  to  carry  a  message  to  the  steward,  intending' 
to  remain  at  the  house  for  a  few  days  for  change  of  air. 
He  had  seized  the  opportunity  also  of  bringing  to  Uncle 
Moses  and  Noah  charters  of  freedom  from  their  mis- 
tress, in  reward  for  their  services  to  her  and  to  hers. 
Cludde  insisted  on  her  accepting  from  him  the  five  hun- 
dred dollars  which  I  had  promised  Noah  for  his  life,  and 
she  handed  it  back  as  a  present  for  the  negro. 

We  were  talking  about  all  these  strange  things  that  had 
happened,  when  suddenly  we  heard  a  commotion  at  the 
head  of  the  column.  Running  hastily,  forward,  I  saw 
Punchard  and  several  of  my  men  rushing  at  full  speed 
across  a  tract  of  scrubby  land  in  pursuit  of  Vetch.  He 
had  persuaded  the  buccaneer  beside  him,  whose  hands  had 
not  been  bound,  to  cut  his  bonds.  I  joined  in  the  chase ; 
Cludde  hung  back;  I  think  that  after  all  he  would  not 


368  HUMPHREY   BOLD 

have  been  ill  pleased,  for  old  friendship's  sake,  if  Vetch 
had  got  away.  Vetch  had  had  but  a  few  yards'  start,  but 
he  was  a  swift  runner,  and  I  doubted  much  whether  any 
of  us  could  overtake  him.  We  could  not  bring  him  down 
with  a  shot,  for  my  men,  though  their  muskets  were 
loaded,  had  not  kindled  their  matches,  so  that  before  they 
could  fire  he  was  out  of  range.  Foremost  of  the  pursuers 
was  Joe,  bounding  along  like  a  deer,  furious  (as  he  after- 
wards told  me)  because  he  regarded  the  escape  as  due  to 
his  own  negligence. 

We  had  raced  on  for  maybe  half  a  mile,  and  still  had 
not  lessened  the  distance  between  us  and  the  fugitive, 
when  I  suddenly  saw  him  sink  above  his  ankles  into  the 
earth.  He  uttered  a  terrible  shriek ;  the  man  running  be- 
side me,  who  knew  something  of  the  country,  cried  out 
"A  cockpit !"  in  accents  of  horror  and  stopped  short.  But 
the  agonizing  cries  of  the  poor  wretch  who  was  sinking 
inch  by  inch  into  the  horrible  hole  whose  treacherous  sur- 
face had  beguiled  him  were  more  than  I  could  endure. 
'Twas  not  a  death  for  the  foulest  villain  on  earth.  Heed- 
less of  the  warning  shouts  of  my  crew,  I  dashed  forward, 
hoping  to  reach  Vetch  in  time  to  rescue  him  ere  he  was 
sucked  under. 

To  venture  directly  on  the  spot  where  he  was  sinking 
( would,  I  knew,  be  certain  death  to  me.  But  when  I 
reached  the  edge  of  the  cockpit  I  flung  myself  on  my 
face,  thinking  with  my  outstretched  arms  to  seize  him. 
He  turned  his  head  and  saw  me.  To  this  day  I  shudder 
as  I  see  again  the  anguish,  the  mute  imploring  entreaty, 
that  spoke  out  of  his  ghastly  features. 

I  could  not  reach  him. 

I  crawled  forward,  and  my  hands  began  to  sink.  Joe 
Punchard  behind  was  shouting  to  recall  me.  Vetch  was 


THE   COCKPIT  369 

up  to  his  shoulders.  Half  my  body  was  on  solid  ground, 
and  with  a  prayer  on  my  lips  I  was  edging  forward  inch 
by  inch  to  make  one  final  effort,  when  I  felt  my  feet  held 
fast ;  I  was  hauled  back  with  great  violence,  just  as  Vetch, 
with  a  scream  that  rang  in  my  ears  and  ran  through  my 
dreams  for  weeks  afterwards  and  haunts  me  still,  disap- 
peared for  ever. 


CHAPTER   XXXII 

I   BECOME  BOLD 

The  flag's  were  at  half-mast  when  we  sailed  into  Port 
Royal  Harbor,  with  the  pirate  brig  in  our  wake ;  and  my 
dark  foreboding  was  confirmed  by  the  first  news  we  had 
when  we  stepped  ashore.  Admiral  Benbow  was  dead. 
Sturdy  fighter  as  he  was,  he  had  contended  gallantly  for 
near  a  month  against  the  fever  that  ensued  upon  the  am- 
putation of  his  leg,  but  'twas  not  Heaven's  will  that  he 
should  live  for  further  service  to  his  country.  In  the 
presence  of  Death,  the  great  leveler,  all  detraction  is 
hushed,  all  enmities  are  extinguished ;  and  even  some  who 
had  thwarted  and  criticized  the  admiral  sincerely  deplored 
his  loss.  He  had  won  no  great  victories,  done  nothing  to 
dazzle  the  eyes  of  men ;  but  I  make  bold  to  say  that,  in  the 
long  roll  of  England's  worthies  no  name  will  ever  shine 
more  brilliantly  to  a  seaman's  eyes  than  that  of  honest 
John  Benbow. 

Rear- Admiral  Whetstone,  to  whom  the  command  of  the 
West  Indian  squadron  fell,  was  pleased  to  compliment  me 
on  my  dealings  with  the  buccaneers,  and  appointed  me 
first  lieutenant  of  the  British  frigate,  on  which  the  officers 
under  sentence  of  the  court-martial  were  to  be  conveyed 
to  England.  When  we  sailed  out  of  Port  Royal  (you 
may  be  sure  I  had  Joe  Punchard  with  me),  we  acted  as 
convoy  to  a  large  merchant  brig,  richly  laden  with  pro- 
duce of  the  island,  and  with  a  freight  more  precious  to 

370 


I   BECOME   BOLD'  371 

me  in  the  person  of  Mistress  Lucy.  She  had  not  waited 
for  the  completion  of  the  business  connected  with  the  sale 
of  her  estate,  having  perfect  confidence  in  the  integrity  of 
Mr.  McTavish,  who  would  remit  the  price  to  her  in  due 
course.  From  a  mercenary  point  of  view  the  time  was  not 
well  chosen  for  the  disposal  of  her  property,  values  al- 
ways diminishing  in  time  of  war.  But  the  island  was 
associated  for  her  now  with  so  many  unpleasant  incidents 
that  she  was  glad  to  sever  the  last  tie  that  bound  her  to  it 
and  return  to  her  happy  life  with  the  Allardyces. 

'Twas  a  bleak  day  in  December  when  we  sailed  into 
Plymouth  Sound.  As  soon  as  we  had  spoken  the  port  a 
boat  put  off  bearing  a  paper  sealed  with  the  seal  of  Prince 
George,  the  Lord  High  Admiral.  And  there  fell  to  my 
captain  a  duty  which  sure  no  man  could  have  performed 
without  compunction.  I  was  truly  thankful  no  such  dread- 
ful task  was  ever  mine.  The  prince  ordered  that  the  sen- 
tence of  the  court-martial  should  be  executed  upon  those 
two  unhappy  captains,  Kirkby  and  Wade,  on  the  deck  of 
the  vessel,  with  a  full  muster  of  the  crew.  When  they  were 
drawn  up  in  lines  according  to  rank,  the  whole  ship's 
company,  from  the  lieutenants  and  master's  mates  down 
to  the  grommet  and  the  boy,  the  captain,  pale  as  death, 
but  in  a  firm  voice,  gave  the  word  of  command  at  which, 
with  one  volley  of  muskets,  the  souls  of  those  two  cravens 
and  traitors  were  sped  into  eternity.  Their  crimes  were 
flagrant,  the  sentence  was  most  just;  but  I  hope  and  pray 
no  Englishman  will  ever  do  the  like  again. 

The  same  papers  contained  news  of  a  more  agreeable 
nature.  Considering  the  high  terms  in  which  Mr.  Benbow 
had  spoken  of  Captains  Fogg  and  Vincent,  and  the  recom- 
mendation he  made  on  their  behalf,  the  prince  was  pleased 
to  command  that  the  sentence  of  suspension  should  be 
remitted,  and  that  they  should  be  again  employed  in  the 


372  HUMPHREY   BOLD 

Queen's  service.  I  was  sorry  that  I  could  not  be  present 
when  this  good  news  was  conveyed  to  them;  they  had 
remained  in  Jamaica,  and  did  not  learn  of  the  prince's 
clemency  for  several  months.  I  never  saw  Captain  Fogg 
again ;  but  I  had  the  pleasure  to  serve  with  Captain  Vin- 
cent seven  years  later,  when  we  each  commanded  a  vessel 
in  Admiral  Baker's  squadron  that  cruised  about  the  Irish 
coasts  in  search  of  Duguay-Trouin.  He  retired  from  the 
service  soon  afterwards,  and  lived  for  twenty  years  longer 
in  much  contentment.  Tis  sixteen  years  (so  fast  does 
time  fly)  since  I  was  bid  to  his  funeral. 

We  continued  to  Portsmouth,  where,  the  ship  being 
paid  off,  I  hastened  with  Mistress  Lucy,  her  faithful 
nurse  and  Joe,  to  be  in  time  to  keep  Christmas  at  Shrews- 
bury. My  good  friends  Squire  Allardyce  and  his  lady 
were  in  the  seventh  heaven  of  delight  when  I  restored 
Mistress  Lucy  once  more  to  their  arms,  and  overwhelmed 
me  with  their  praises  when  they  heard  from  her  a  full 
recital  of  what  they  were  pleased  to  call  my  heroic  deeds 
on  her  behalf.  In  truth  I  think  there  was  little  of  the 
heroic  in  anything  I  had  done,  but  just  my  plain  duty, 
and  what  any  man  of  honor  would  have  attempted  for 
any  woman  in  like  circumstances.  The  squire  made  a 
comical  grimace  when  (after  the  ladies  had  disappeared) 
I  expressed  this  opinion. 

"Ads  bobs !"  he  cried,  "what  are  young  fellows  made  of 
nowadays !  Have  you  spirit  for  nothing  but  fighting  the 
French,  Mr.  Humphrey  Bold  ?  I  could  have  sworn  there 
would  be  a  Mistress  Bold  by  this  time." 

I  reminded  him  that  I  was  as  yet  only  a  lieutenant  on 
eighty  pounds  a  year  (though  I  looked  for  my  captain's 
commission  when  Prince  George  should  have  had  time  to 
overlook  Admiral  Whetstone's  report). 
,     "But  hasn't  Lucy  enough  for  you  both  and  a  large 


I   BECOME   BOLD  373 

family  to  boot? — though  to  be  sure  she  made  a  precious 
bad  bargain  over  that  estate  of  hers.  D'you  want  her  to 
be  snapped  up  under  your  very  nose?  Why,  young 
Cludde  will  have  her  yet,  if  he  has  turned  out  such  a 
paragon  as  you  would  make  it  appear." 

But  I  corrected  him  on  this  point,  for  on  our  journey  to 
the  Hall  Mistress  Lucy  told  me  (what  had  been  a  secret 
hitherto)  that  Dick  Cludde  and  Lucetta  Gurney  would 
one  day  make  a  match  of  it.  In  the  end  the  old  gentleman 
pished  and  pshawed  and  called  me  a  young  fool,  but  I 
learned  from  Mistress  Allardyce  afterwards  that  in  the 
bosom  of  his  family  he  laid  this  also  to  my  credit. 

I  stayed  at  the  Hall  one  night,  as  did  Joe  Punchard 
(who,  between  Susan  and  the  cook,  spent  a  merry  even- 
ing, and  made  Giles  turn  black  with  jealousy),  and  then 
set  off  with  him  to  see  my  older  friends  in  Shrewsbury. 
Mr.  Vetch  and  his  good  lady  welcomed  me  right  royally. 
They  were  in  excellent  health,  Mistress  Vetch  fine  in  a 
new  magenta-colored  cap,  and  I  was  right  glad  to  learn 
that  the  lawyer's  practice  had  grown  quite  to  its  former 
prosperity,  and  that  he  was  spoken  of  as  mayor  for  the 
next  year.  (This  honor,  however,  he  did  not  attain  to, 
the  election  falling  on  Mr.  William  Bowlder  the  tanner.) 
I  warrant  you  I  had  to  tell  over  my  adventures  until  my 
tongue  was  aweary,  my  wits  being  sore  put  to  it,  more- 
over, to  avoid  the  mention  of  Cyrus,  for  I  was  resolved 
that  the  lawyer's  declining  years  should  not  be  vexed  by 
the  knowledge  of  his  nephew's  villainy  and  dreadful  end. 
But  Fate  was  against  me  in  this.  I  had  strictly  charged 
Joe  Punchard  to  keep  silence  on  all  that  pertained  to 
Cyrus  Vetch ;  but  having  his  pockets  well  lined,  and  being 
of  a  generous  and  social  disposition,  he  made  a  great  feast 
on  Christmas  eve,  to  which  he  invited  certain  friends  of 
his  mother,  Nelly  Hind  among  them,  and  some  who  had 


374  HUMPHREY   BOLD 

been  'prentices  at  the  same  time  as  himself.  And  in  the 
height  of  their  entertainment,  good  ale  flowing  very 
freely,  Joe,  usually  the  most  abstemious  of  tars,  was  a 
little  overtaken  by  the  liquor  he  had  drunk,  and,  with  no 
other  object  than  to  heighten  my  reputation,  must  needs 
tell  how  I  had  ventured  into  the  jaws  of  death  (so  he  put 
it)  to  save  the  man  of  all  others  who  had  done  me  the 
most  ill.  And  next  day  Nelly  Hind  meets  Mistress  Vetch 
at  the  church  door  and  pours  the  whole  tale  into  her  ears ; 
and  by  and  by  Joe  comes  himself  with  a  very  doleful 
countenance  and  begs  Mistress  Vetch  not  to  let  her  hus- 
band know,  and  very  humbly  asks  my  pardon,  vowing  not 
to  drink  more  than  a  quart  in  future  even  though  the 
Queen  should  bid  him  do  otherwise.  But  Mistress  Vetch 
bore  an  old  grudge  against  Cyrus  for  the  tricks  he  had 
played  on  me,  and  the  trouble  he  had  brought  on  the 
lawyer,  forgetting,  good  soul,  that  but  for  this  same 
trouble  she  would  still  have  been  (so  far  as  one  can  tell). 
Becky  Pennyquick  and  a  widow.  She  declared  to  me  that 
she  would  not  have  the  matter  hidden  up,  quoting  against 
me  the  Bible  text  that  says  a  candle  is  not  put  under  a 
bushel,  but  set  on  a  candlestick  to  give  light  to  the  whole 
house.  And  so  that  the  light  might  dazzle  as  many  as 
possible,  she  invited  a  dozen  neighbors  to  dinner  on 
Boxing  Day  and  sprung  the  story  on  poor  Mr.  Vetch  as 
he  sat  at  the  head  of  his  own  table.  (Tis  marvelous 
what  strange  ineptitudes  mar  the  characters  of  excellent 
good  folk.) 

Luckily  our  good  friend  Captain  Galsworthy  was 
among  the  guests.  He  ever  treated  poor  Becky  with  a 
sort  of  good-humored  tolerance,  and  now,  perceiving  the 
shadow  that  crossed  the  lawyer's  face,  he  broke  in  upon 
the  dame's  loquacity  with  a  tremendous  tirade  against  the 
captains  who  had  behaved  so  treacherously  towards  Mr. 


I   BECOME   BOLD  375 

Benbow  (the  story  of  whose  last  fight  he  had  already 
drunk  in  from  my  lips). 

"How  can  you  wonder  at  it,"  he  cried,  "when  you  re- 
member the  covetous  spirit  that  overspread  the  kingdom 
before  Dutch  William  came  to  rule  us — when  men  per- 
fectly scrambled  for  the  revenues  of  the  crown,  and  made 
their  private  fortunes  out  of  the  nation's  treasure  1  Tis  a 
matter  of  years,  ay,  generations,  to  undo  all  the  mischief 
that  springs  from  such  corruption;  and  when  money, 
oftener  than  merit,  gained  admission  to  a  command,  no 
wonder  that  such  scoundrels  as  Wade  and  Kirkby  were 
trusted  with  our  men-of-war.  By  God,  sir ! — "  and  here 
he  raised  his  clenched  fist,  no  doubt  to  bang  upon  the 
table;  but  being  seated  at  the  corner,  very  close  to  the 
wall  (the  party  being  a  large  one  for  the  room),  he  drove 
his  elbow  clean  through  a  wooden  panel  beside  the  fire- 
place. He  swung  back,  full  of  consternation  and  remorse. 

"And  now  see  what  you  have  done,  with  your  profanity 
and  all !"  cries  Mistress  Vetch,  her  cap  sidling  upon  her 
head  as  she  shook  it  with  vexation.  "You  was  always  a 
violent  man;  'tis  no  thanks  to  you  that  poor  Humphrey 
hasn't  been  killed  over  and  over  again,  for  'twas  you  and 
no  one  else  as  taught  him  to  fight.  And  who'll  pay  the 
bill  for  your  breakages?  That's  what  /  say  1" 

Mr.  Vetch  did  his  best  to  soothe  his  angry  spouse;  I 
fear  he  suffered  a  good  deal  at  times  from  her  unmanner- 
liness,  though  to  be  sure  she  was  an  excellent  housewife 
and  had  a  heart  of  gold.  And  Captain  Galsworthy,  saying 
never  a  word  in  reply  to  her  outbreak,  rubbed  his  elbow 
and  said  with  a  rueful  smile : 

'  Tis  assault  and  battery,  Vetch ;  I'm  sorry :  but  I 
wonder  why  they  call  it  the  funny-bone !" 

Mistress  Vetch  would,  I  am  sure,  have  given  her  views 
on  this  question  had  not  Mr.  Pinhorn,  the  surgeon,  who 


376  HUMPHREY   BOLD 

was  at  the  other  side  of  the  corner  from  the  captain,  sud- 
denly called  out : 

"I  say,  Vetch,  I  fear  you'll  have  to  choose  another  re- 
ceptacle for  your  secret  documents." 

"He  has  no  secrets  from  me,  I  would  have  you  know !" 
cries  Mistress  Vetch  in  high  indignation,  not  knowing  in 
the  least  what  had  occasioned  his  remark. 

"I  don't  doubt  it,  madam,"  said  Mr.  Pinhorn,  witH  a 
comical  twist  of  the  mouth;  "but  maybe  he  stowed  that 
paper  there  before  you  and  he  was  made  one." 

He  pointed  to  the  hole  made  by  Captain  Galsworthy's 
elbow,  and  there,  sure  enough,  was  the  white  end  of  a 
folded  paper  showing. 

"Dear  me,"  says  Mr.  Vetch,  getting  up  from  his  seat. 
"I  knew  nothing  of  it." 

He  goes  to  the  broken  panel,  brings  out  the  paper,  and 
as  he  looked  at  it  turned  so  ghastly  pale  that  Mr.  Pinhorn 
clutched  a  decanter  of  brandy  and  began  to  pour  some  of 
it  into  a  glass.  We  were  all  struck  silent  with  wonder- 
ment ;  even  Mistress  Vetch  being  tongue-tied.  Then  Mr. 
Vetch  turned  to  me  and,  holding  out  the  paper  with  trem- 
bling hand,  tears  standing  in  his  eyes,  said : 

"God  be  thanked  for  all  His  mercies !" 

'Twas  my  father's  will,  dusty,  gnawed  at  the  edges,  but 
indubitably  the  will  which  had  disappeared  seven  years 
before.  Remembering  the  hiding-place  in  which  Cyrus 
had  secreted  the  money  at  Penolver,  it  was  no  mystery  to 
me  that  he  should  have  fashioned  a  similar  receptacle  for 
the  will  he  had  purloined. 

There  is  no  need  to  tell  of  the  congratulations  showered 
upon  me.  My  hand  was  wrung  by  my  kind  neighbors 
until  it  tingled  with  numbness.  Mistress  Vetch  fell  into 
hysterics — mercilessly  ignored  by  Mr.  Pinhorn.  And  as 
for  Captain  Galsworthy,  he  seemed  incapable  of  doing 


I   BECOME   BOLD  377 

anything  but  repeat  his  question,  chuckling  aloud :  "Can 
any  one  tell  me  why  'tis  called  the  funny-bone  ?" 

The  party  soon  broke  up,  to  carry  the  news  far  and 
wide  through  Shrewsbury.  And  I,  after  an  affecting  five 
minutes  with  the  lawyer,  suddenly  stuffed  the  paper  in  my 
pocket,  flung  on  my  hat,  and  ran  out  with  furious  haste  to 
saddle  my  horse.  Mistress  Vetch  came  to  the  door  as  I 
mounted. 

"Mind  you  speak  the  villain  plain,"  she  cried. 

I  laughed  joyfully  and  galloped  away  up  Pride  Hill. 
The  tale  of  my  discovery  had  already  got  abroad;  the 
people  came  to  their  doors  and  cheered  me,  and  some  little 
fellows  of  the  school  stood  in  the  middle  of  the  road  and 
waved  their  caps  and  shouted  "Huzzay  for  Captain 
Bold !"  But  I  did  not  ride  straight  on  towards  the  Wem 
Road  and  Cludde  Court,  as  Becky  had  supposed  I  in- 
tended. I  turned  into  Dogpole,  rode  helter-skelter  down 
Wyle  Cop  in  the  very  course  where  Joe's  barrel  had 
rolled,  and  never  drew  rein  until  I  came  to  the  door  of  the 
Hall.  'Twas  opened  to  me  by  Roger,  home  from  follow- 
ing the  campaign  in  Flanders — a  strapping  fine  fellow, 
near  as  tall  as  myself. 

"Gad,  but  your  horse  is  in  a  sweat !"  he  said  by  way  of 
greeting.  (We  laughed  at  it  afterwards.) 

"Where  is  Lucy  ?"  I  said. 

He  stared  at  me  for  a  moment,  then  burst  into  a  hearty 
roar. 

"Up  you  go,"  says  he,  clapping  me  on  the  back.  "Egad, 
and  I'll  go  and  find  the  squire." 

That  is  more  than  forty  years  ago.  My  hand  is  weary 
with  writing:  why  should  I  tell  you  more?  There  is  in- 
deed little  more  to  tell,  for  from  that  time,  thank  God, 
there  have  been  no  mischances  in  my  life.  Yet  maybe 


378  HUMPHREY   BOLD 

those  who  have  read  my  story  patiently  hereto  (if  any 
there  be)  may  like  to  have  it  rounded  off — totus,  teres,  et 
rotundus. 

A  few  weeks  after  I  regained  possession  of  my  little 
property  Sir  Richard  Cludde  died — of  gout  and  other 
diseases,  said  Mr.  Pinhorn ;  Mistress  Vetch  said  of  rage. 
His  estate  had  been  much  impoverished,  and  his  widow 
was  now  left  almost  penniless.  She  was  my  father's  sis- 
ter, and,  my  own  lot  being  happy,  I  could  not  endure  to 
think  of  her  in  penury  and  distress.  So  I  made  her  a 
small  allowance  through  Mr.  Vetch  (and  I  can  vouch  for 
it  this  was  a  secret  his  wife  never  knew) — sufficient  to 
keep  her  from  want.  She  never  saw  me,  made  me  no 
acknowledgment,  and  to  the  day  of  her  death  maintainec1 
in  the  little  house  she  took  next  St.  Michael's  Church,  tl 
haughty  bearing  which  had  always  won  her  such  dislike. 

Lucy  and  I  were  married  on  St.  Valentine's  day  in  the 
year  1703.  Less  than  three  months  afterwards  I  was 
appointed  to  command  the  Pegasus,  a  third-rate  of  forty- 
eight  guns,  and  ordered  to  the  Mediterranean  with  Ad- 
miral Sir  Cloudesly  Shovel.  From  that  time  until  I  re- 
tired in  the  year  1713  I  was  almost  continuously  on 
service,  having  but  brief  intervals  to  spend  with  my  wife. 
I  was  at  the  taking  of  Gibraltar  by  Sir  George  Rooke 
( which  we  have  yet  in  possession,  and  may  we  ever  keep 
it),  and  in  the  famous  sea-fight  off  Velez  Malaga  in  1704 ; 
next  year  I  entered  Barcelona  with  Sir  Stafford  Fairborn ; 
in  brief,  I  had  a  share  (though  humble)  in  many  of  our 
notable  transactions  at  sea  during  those  memorable  years 
when  we  fought  King  Lewis.  But  when  peace  was  con- 
cluded in  the  year  1713,  both  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Allardyce 
being  then  dead,  I  thought  it  was  high  time  I  settled  down 
at  home,  especially  as  there  were  two  sturdy  boys  growing 
up  to  plague  their  mother.  Accordingly  I  retired  with  the 


I   BECOME   BOLD  379 

rank  of  captain  and  a  considerable  fortune.  We  pur- 
chased the  estate  of  Cludde  Court  and  made  great  addi- 
tions to  it,  and  our  boys  every  day  rode  into  Shrewsbury 
to  school,  and  did  it  more  credit  than  their  father. 

Captain  Galsworthy  was  a  frequent  visitor,  and  though 
he  was  past  eighty,  insisted  on  giving  our  boys  their  first 
lessons  with  the  single-stick.  He  died  in  the  year  '15, 
leaving  fragrant  memories  to  us  who  loved  him. 

Joe  Punchard  is  with  me  still.  He  regarded  Lucy's 
injunctions  as  binding  on  him  for  life,  and  clave  to  me  all 
through  my  naval  career,  though  he  lost  a  leg  at  the  tak- 
ing of  Port-Mahon  in  1708.  He  retired  when  I  did,  and 
came  to  Cludde  Court  as  our  lodge-keeper,  where  he 
frould  entrance  my  boys  with  sea-songs  and  his  tales  of 
yhat  he  had  gone  through  on  sea  and  land  with  me  and 
.vith  Admiral  Benbow,  whom  he  ever  cherished  as  a 
matchless  captain.  His  own  naval  career,  he  says,  began 
with  a  wooden  barrel  and  ended  with  a  wooden  leg,  and 
sometimes,  over  his  pipe,  he  shakes  his  head  and  declares 
that  I  had  all  the  chances,  he  all  the  mischances.  But  he 
is  gone  seventy  years  of  age,  and  is  apt  to  be  a  little  for- 
getful. 


THE   END 


